The US Justice Department has blocked health insurer Aetna's proposed $34bn acquisition of Humana, as Judge John Bates said the deal would "substantially lessen competition" over the sale of Medicare Advantage plans in 21 states. In a ruling on Tuesday, Bates, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, ruled that the merger between two healthcare providers with similar business models could not go ahead because it would reduce competition and raise prices. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal said the ruling was a "decisive victory for jobs, consumers, and healthcare".
The US Justice Department has blocked health insurer Aetna's proposed $34bn acquisition of Humana, as Judge John Bates said the deal would "substantially lessen competition" over the sale of Medicare Advantage plans in 21 states. The decision casts doubt over a similar deal, as Anthem aims to close a $54bn purchase of Cigna. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal said the ruling was a "decisive victory for jobs, consumers, and healthcare".