US: BRF, Vantage file antitrust suit against Willis-Knighton

Biomedical Research Foundation, the current manager of University Health in Shreveport, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Willis-Knighton Health System, alleging the private health-care company has been unfairly taking away doctors and their privately insured patients.

The suit, filed Wednesday in US District Court in Shreveport, asks a judge to prevent Willis-Knighton from those alleged practices.

“This case is being filed to enjoin Willis-Knighton Medical Center from unlawfully stripping of its commercially insured business, and then taking over UH-Shreveport,” the lawsuit said. “The actions of Willis-Knighton … would give it a virtually complete monopoly position in the market. They would substantially increase health care costs, reduce health care quality, and seriously harm insurers, employers and consumers…”

The lawsuit accused Willis-Knighton of using similar practices in the past against three private hospitals: Bossier Medical Center, Doctors Hospital and Christus Schumpert. All of those hospitals closed.

Full content: Shreve Port Times

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.