FTC Approves Community Health Systems’ Application to Divest Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center to Capella Healthcare, Inc

Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved an application by Community Health Systems to sell Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center and its associated assets in Hartsville, South Carolina to Capella Healthcare, Inc. CHS was required to divest Carolina Pines by the FTC’s April 2014 final order settling charges that CHS’s acquisition of rival health system Health Management Associates, Inc. would likely be anticompetitive.

CHS is a Tennessee-based for-profit company, operating hospitals nationwide. In addition to the South Carolina assets, the order also requires CHS to sell Riverview Regional Medical Center and its associated assets in Alabama.

The Commission vote to approve Community Health Systems’ divestiture of Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center and its associated assets to Capella Healthcare, Inc. was 5-0. (FTC File No. 131 0202, Docket No. C-4427; the staff contact is Daniel P. Ducore, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2526)

The FTC’s Bureau of Competition works with the Bureau of Economics to investigate alleged anticompetitive business practices and, when appropriate, recommends that the Commission take law enforcement action. To inform the Bureau about particular business practices, call 202-326-3300, send an e-mail to antitrust{at}ftc{dot}gov, or write to the Office of Policy and Coordination, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Room CC-5422, Washington, DC 20580. To learn more about the Bureau of Competition, read Competition Counts. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.