Smart Talk: Penn State-Pinnacle Health merger shot down; Law to ban cattle in water
What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, September 28, 2016:
A merger that would have created the largest healthcare system in Central Pennsylvania has been rejected by a federal court. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Federal Trade Commission and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office in denying the merger between Penn State Health and Pinnacle Health.
The deal had been approved by a lower federal court but in a rare move, the FTC and AG appealed.
Penn State Health and Pinnacle said the move was needed to handle new patients and claimed it would be more efficient. The FTC said the merger would allow the combined hospitals to dominate the marketplace and could lead to higher prices.
WITF’s Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen joins us on Smart Talk to discuss what the latest court action means.
Ben Allen
Also, agriculture has been pointed to as one of the major contributors to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Pennsylvania has joined with several other states in efforts to clean up the bay. Although progress has been made in many areas, there still are challenges.
One involves animal waste in waterways. State Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster) plans to introduce legislation to make it illegal for cattle to stand in streams.
Sturla, who is part of a legislative delegation to the Chesapeake Bay Commission, appears on Wednesday’s Smart Talk along with Jim Cowell of the Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Association.
State Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster)
