Reps. Nadler, Cicilline Applaud Justice Department Challenge of Healthcare Merger

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following joint statement with Rep. David N. Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, chairman of the Subcommittee on Antitrust, after the Department of Justice sued to block UnitedHealth Group's acquisition of Change Healthcare:

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"We applaud the Justice Department for suing to block UnitedHealth Group's deeply problematic acquisition of Change Healthcare.

"Consolidation in the healthcare industry at all levels has led to higher prices and fewer choices for Americans. UnitedHealth Group is this country's largest health insurance company, and it keeps growing bigger by buying up competitors and expanding into adjacent lines of business. Its planned acquisition of Change Healthcare would be another harmful step in that direction.

"As the Justice Department's thorough complaint explains, the proposed acquisition would harm competition in the health insurance industry, giving UnitedHealth control over critical technology for processing claims, as well data and proprietary plan information. In short, the acquisition would hand UnitedHealth powerful new weapons to raise its rivals' costs and destroy the dwindling competition it faces today--leading to higher healthcare costs for everyone.

"We applaud the Justice Department and its dedicated career staff for working tirelessly to curtail such anticompetitive practices--and for continuing their important work through this challenge to further consolidation in the healthcare industry."