COLORADO SPRINGS – The Colorado Attorney General’s Office announced that it has come to an agreement to settle a lawsuit over the proposed merger of UnitedHealth Group and DaVita Medical Group.
As part of this agreement, Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a consent judgment which includes conditions to lessen UnitedHealthcare’s share of the healthcare market in the Colorado Springs area.
UnitedHealthcare will lift its exclusive contract with Centura Health for at least 3.5 years and DaVita Medical Group’s agreement with Humana will be extended through at least the end of 2020.
Attorney General Phil Weiser filed the original lawsuit in El Paso County court as part of an effort to enforce antitrust laws in the state. Weiser argued that UnitedHealthcare’s standing as the area’s largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the area and its acquisition of DaVita Medical Group would have reduced healthcare options for senior citizens in Colorado Springs.
Weiser said if the merger were to proceed without changes, it would “result in reduced competition, higher health care costs, reduced benefits, and fewer choices for seniors.”
CenturaHealth operates and has an interest in dozens of facilities across the region that manage urgent care, clinics, surgical centers, cancer centers, and more. Click here for list of locations.
Davita Medical Group operates and has an interest in facilities in Colorado Springs, Monument and Woodland Park, which includes family medicine practices, pediatrics, OB/GYN, and specialist. Click here for a list of location.
