http://www.newsobserver.com/news/article88050667.html

“This case presents another example of healthcare providers attempting to use state legislation to shield potentially anticompetitive combinations from antitrust enforcement,” the FTC said in a statement Wednesday. “Our decision to dismiss this complaint without prejudice does not necessarily mean that we will do the same in other cases in which a cooperative agreement is sought or approved.”

St. Mary’s has 393 beds and Cabell Huntington has 303 beds. They are 3 miles apart and are the top two private employers in Cabell County, with nearly 5,000 total employees. The combined operation would represent the second-largest hospital chain in the state behind Charleston Area Medical Center.