Washington, D.C. — In response to news that Optum has terminated its plans to acquire Steward Health Care’s physician group, Stewardship Health, following scrutiny from the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement. The news follows a hearing in Congress earlier this week, where OptumRx’s CEO testified to lawmakers about the company’s role in keeping drug prices high.

“This is yet another win for the DOJ Antitrust Division, as another would be harmful acquisition of a healthcare firm is shuttered thanks to the Division’s enforcement posture,” said Emma Freer, Senior Healthcare Policy Analyst at the American Economic Liberties Project. “Given that UnitedHealth-owned Optum is already the largest employer of physicians in the country, more consolidation is the last thing physicians and patients need. Without a doubt, this deal would have led to higher prices, reduced access, and worse quality of care for patients. We’re thrilled the DOJ was able to stop it in its tracks.”

Read “Medicare Advantage and Vertical Consolidation in Health Care” to learn more. 

Learn more about Economic Liberties here.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.