Columbia Healthcare Corporation, et al.; Proposed Consent Agreement with Analysis to Aid Public Comment

Résumé

In settlement of alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair acts and practices and unfair methods of competition, this consent agreement, accepted subject to final Commission approval, would require, among other things, the respondents to divest the HCA Aiken Regional Medical Center, in South Carolina, to Commission-approved acquirers and to complete the divestiture within twelve months, or else consent to the appointment of a trustee to consummate the divestiture. In addition, the order would prohibit the respondents from acquiring or transferring, without prior Commission approval, any acute care hospital in the Augusta-Aiken area.