Washington — The American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement following the passage of HF 402 in the Minnesota House, which would give state enforcers new powers to block hospital mergers and create a new notification system for mergers in health care markets.

“Out-of-control hospital mergers have harmed patients, workers, and communities, in Minnesota and across the country, for too long,” said Pat Garofalo, director of state and local policy at the American Economic Liberties Project. “HF 402 sets an important new standard, giving the state attorney general the power to block hospital mergers that will result in worse care or lower wages, and creating a new notification regime that will provide vital insights into the health care merger market. More states should follow the example Minnesota is setting in standing up to hospital monopolies.”

To learn more, read “The Harms of Hospital Mergers and How to Stop Them.“

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.