Legal Battle Over Louisiana Hospital Deal Continues with State and Federal Intervention

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is seeking to intervene in a federal lawsuit filed by LCMC Health over its purchase of three New Orleans area hospitals, arguing that the state's approval of the deal should be enough for it to move forward. The Federal Trade Commission told LCMC earlier this month that the hospital operator should have sought the approval of federal regulators before executing the $150 million deal with HCA Healthcare. LCMC responded by filing suit against the FTC, arguing that the approval via the state's “Certificate of Public Advantage,” or COPA, was the proper approval process.