Blackstone E A, Fuhr J P
Temple University, USA.
J Health Polit Policy Law. 1998 Dec;23(6):949-71. doi: 10.1215/03616878-23-6-949.
This article examines the antitrust issues in rural hospital mergers by focusing on an important antitrust case involving the merger of two small hospitals in Ukiah, California. A key issue in this matter was whether the geographic market served by the merger included a nearby larger city. The economic efficiency of small rural hospitals and the competitive implications of their mergers are examined in the context of the Ukiah case. Economies of scale are shown to be important for small rural hospitals and should mitigate any increase in price. The efficiencies defense is shown to be difficult to make even when economies of scale make the likelihood of efficiencies high. The financial difficulties of many rural hospitals, especially in areas where too many exist, mean that mergers such as this one in Ukiah often are an efficient way to keep these hospitals financially sound and accessible. The Ukiah case suggests the desirability of the merger guidelines that permit most mergers of small rural hospitals.
本文通过聚焦于加利福尼亚州尤凯亚市两家小型医院合并的一起重要反垄断案件，研究农村医院合并中的反垄断问题。此事的一个关键问题是合并后的地理市场是否包括附近的一个较大城市。在尤凯亚案的背景下，研究了小型农村医院的经济效率及其合并的竞争影响。事实表明，规模经济对小型农村医院很重要，并且应该会缓解价格的任何上涨。事实表明，即使规模经济使效率提升的可能性很大，效率抗辩也很难成立。许多农村医院面临财务困境，尤其是在医院数量过多的地区，这意味着像尤凯亚市这样的合并通常是使这些医院保持财务稳健并可提供服务的有效方式。尤凯亚案表明允许大多数小型农村医院合并的合并指南是可取的。
