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In a friend-of-the-court brief filed Sept.3, the AHA expressed support for the decision by the U. S. District Court for the District of New Mexico that Presbyterian Health Care Services’ efforts to integrate vertically did not violate the antitrust laws.

In New Mexico Oncology and Hematology Consultants, Ltd. vs Presbyterian Health Care Services, the plaintiff alleges antitrust violations as a result of encouraging patients to use affiliated physicians and pharmacy.

The brief states, “Vertically integrated health care delivery systems offer the promise of managing complex care for patients over large populations in a cost efficient manner. The district court recognized this when it granted summary judgment for defendants and sent the parties out to compete in the market to determine what model of patient care best suits the needs of the population in New Mexico.”