COLUMBUS, Ohio — The U.S. Department of Justice, joined by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, has filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against OhioHealth, alleging the hospital system used contractual practices that restricted competition in the health insurance market.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, alleges that OhioHealth required insurers to include its hospitals and facilities in commercial insurance networks through restrictive contract terms, limiting the ability of insurers to design lower-cost or alternative network plans.
Federal and state officials contend the practices reduced competition among healthcare providers and contributed to higher costs for employers, insurers, and patients in central Ohio. The lawsuit alleges the conduct violates federal antitrust law, including the Sherman Act, as well as Ohio’s Valentine Act.
“Americans deserve low-cost, high-quality healthcare – not anticompetitive hospital system contracts that make healthcare less affordable,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice will continue taking legal action to protect consumers and drive down healthcare costs across America.”
According to the complaint, OhioHealth operates a large network of hospitals and outpatient facilities and holds a significant share of the hospital services market in the Columbus region. The government alleges that the system’s contracting terms discouraged insurers from steering patients to lower-cost providers or excluding higher-cost facilities from certain plans.
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief that would prohibit OhioHealth from enforcing the challenged contract provisions and require changes to its contracting practices with insurers.
The case is civil, not criminal, and the allegations have not been proven in court. OhioHealth has not been found liable, and the litigation will proceed through the federal court process.
You can view the full complaint below: