Bill Would Toughen Oversight Of Planned Hospital Mergers

Attorney General Maura Healey is pushing legislation designed to give her office stronger oversight of hospital mergers.

The bill would toughen the authority of the Health Policy Commission when considering mergers of health care providers.

The bill would allow a report issued by the commission to be considered strong enough evidence that the Healey's office could use it to seek a temporary block of a proposed deal between health care organizations if the deal would force up health care costs.

In January, a Suffolk Superior Court judge rejected a deal that would have allowed Partners HealthCare to merge with South Shore Hospital.

After Healey said she would try to block any future merger, Partners abandoned the plan.

The bill is sponsored by House Majority Leader Ron Mariano, a Quincy Democrat.