State regulators may also play a role in deciding hospital merger policy. A story from Northwest Public Radio, “Controversy Over State Role In Hospital Mergers” in Washington State is available here, http://www.nwpr.org/post/controversy-over-state-role-hospital-mergers
The issue of what role state regulators should play, if any, in hospital mergers is not new. Attached is a 1994 report from the Massachusetts Senate, “AN EMERGING CONCERN: The State’s Role in Hospital Consolidations.”