Critics were concerned that the merger would increase the clout of the providers in an already concentrated market and lead to higher health care costs.
Regulators are currently weighing a merger proposal from two major health care providers in Santa Barbara County, Calif. Reporter Alex Kacik has tracked the story closely, and offers tip for others covering the consolidation trend.
The proposed merger of Cottage Health, operator of the only hospitals in South Santa Barbara County and the Santa Ynez Valley, with Sansum Clinic, the largest physician practice in the area, raises questions about cost, quality and access to care.
A long-awaited decision by regulators appears to be imminent on the proposed merger between Cottage Health and Sansum Clinic, which has the largest physician practice in the area with 23 outpatient sites spanning Santa Maria to Santa Barbara.
