Highmark's acquisition of West Penn Allegheny Health System, worth $475 million, won't stifle market competition, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, who cleared the way for the provider-payer merger. The Justice Department's investigation, which started in February, concluded this week and found that Highmark's acquisition of the hospital system not only won't limit competition but actually will spur competition in Western Pennsylvania, FierceHealthPayer reported. Combining the two companies won't consolidate the market because Highmark owns no other hospitals and only a few physician groups, and WPAHS doesn't provide insurance, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. --Read the full article on FieceHealthPayer