Federal Judge Wants to Hold Hearing Over CVS-Aetna Merger in May

Reuters (4/5, Bartz) reported that Judge Richard Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, who is “reviewing an agreement between the government and CVS Health Corp allowing the pharmacy chain to buy health insurer Aetna,” on Friday signaled “that he wanted to hold a hearing in May to hear from critics of the $69 billion deal.” Leon “said in a court hearing that he would likely take a week to hear from the American Medical Association and other opponents of the transaction, which closed in November.”

The Wall Street Journal (4/5, Kendall, Subscription Publication) reported that U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon said Friday he will hear from witnesses objecting to the $70 billion purchase of Aetna by CVS, which the Justice Department recently approved. The proposed settlement must be approved by the court, though a CVS lawyer said no judge has ever decided to hear witnesses in a case of this type. The Journal added that in court, Judge Leon heard from health care and consumer groups, including the American Medical Association, that are in opposition to the merger.