As of Tuesday, October 4, 2011
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Albany Herald
ALBANY, Ga. - On Wednesday, the case of The Federal Trade Commission against Phoebe Putney Health System will be heard in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta in regards to Phoebe's potential purchase of Palmyra Medical Center.
The appeal hearing follows a ruling that came down by U.S. District Court Judge Louis Sands on June 27 stating that the Hospital Authority of Albany-Dougherty County was entitled to immunity from federal antitrust laws in its plan to purchase Palmyra.
In July, the FTC filed a brief with the Court stating its contentions that Phoebe, not the authority, is the one with leverage in Albany over people and that any statement to the contrary by Phoebe is merely a "smokescreen."
Since then, officials at Phoebe have maintained that the agency's intervention in the acquisition is misplaced.
More like this story
- Phoebe: Order should be affirmed ( July 29, 2011 )
- Phoebe's appeal of Palmyra CON denied ( November 16, 2011 )
- Phoebe: Appeal hearing went well ( October 5, 2011 )
- FTC considering challenging Phoebe merger to Supreme Court ( February 23, 2012 )
- Judge delays FTC hearing ( August 14, 2011 )
Comments
ObjectiveEyes 1 year, 8 months ago
The local judges do not have a very good track-record on cases involving Phoebe (see S Goss and the CON issue). When this District Court ruling is overturned (and, it should be), maybe, just maybe, Phoebe's lust for power will be dampened just a bit...naw, wishful thinking.
hawaters 1 year, 8 months ago
When the deal is squashed by the courts and HCA closes Palmyra, then how much choice will the community have? What about the people that will lose their jobs when it closes?
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