AG: Plaintiffs have standing in Hartford HealthCare case

By Katy Golvala The Connecticut Mirror

On Monday, Attorney General William Tong’s office urged the court to reject the basis of part of Hartford HealthCare’s argument to dismiss an antitrust case filed against the hospital system.

The original proposed classaction lawsuit filed in February 2022 alleged the network uses its market dominance to charge higher prices to the state’s commercially insured residents.

“As one of Connecticut’s major hospital networks, the result of HHC’s anticompetitive conduct has been a dramatic increase in prices on acute care and in the cost of commercial health insurance for commercially insured individuals and their employers,” stated the lawsuit.

Hartford HealthCare cember, filed a motion to dismiss it, arguing that among other points, the plaintiffs can’t sue under the Connecticut Antitrust Act because they are “indirect purchasers” of the hospital’s services. The motion stated that patients don’t qualify as “direct purchasers” because they are paying for hospital services through an insurer or an employer. tual or legal issues in the case, ” wrote Hartford HealthCare spokesperson Rebecca Stewart in emailed comments. “We continue to believe that this lawsuit has no merit, and we await the court’s action.”

But, in the brief filed Monday, the AG’s office disagreed with that interpretation. The brief explains that, in 2018, Connecticut passed a state law affirming the right of indirect purchasers to sue under the Connecticut Antitrust Act.

Connecticut is one of thirtysix states that have passed such a law.

“In his recently filed brief, the Attorney General wrote for the limited purpose of addressing Conn. Gen. Stat. § 35-46a and explicitly took no position on any other fac-

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School Stars

Plainville Community Schools’ “All-Star” award winners for the month of January were staff members Ashley Carl, Sharyn Lavore, David Levenduski and Matthew Guarino. The honorees were recognized at the Jan. 19 Board of Education meeting. Plainville Community Schools’ “AllStar” award recognizes students, faculty, staff and community members who go above and beyond in modeling the school district’s “Portrait of the Graduate” characteristics and demonstrating excellence in alignment with the school district’s team goals. Pictured: Board of Education chair Lori Consalvo, Food Services Director Ashley Carl and Superintendent of Schools Steven LePage.

Photo provided by Plainville Community Schools