Penn State Hershey and PinnacleHealth have received notice from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that it intends to oppose the planned integration of our two health systems. As early as today, the FTC may file legal action to prevent our health systems from coming together.
We are extremely disappointed that the FTC does not share the enthusiasm of the many employers, community leaders, private physicians, commercial insurance providers and others who have recognized the benefits of our integration and demonstrated their broad support for it.
We firmly believe that the integration of PinnacleHealth and Penn State Hershey serves the best interests of patients and the entire central Pennsylvania community. The joining of our two health systems is completely consistent with the goals of the Affordable Care Act. It creates the depth of services and scale that is required to manage the health of distinct populations of patients and better positions us to provide the most appropriate care, in the most appropriate setting at the lowest possible cost.
By coming together, PinnacleHealth and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center also create a powerful platform to produce future generations of health care providers and make discoveries that improve health.
Over the next several days our respective boards and leadership teams, with guidance from legal counsel, will carefully examine our options in continuing to advocate for our partnership.
Ultimately, the best interests of our patients, families and community remain at the heart of whatever course of action we choose to pursue.