The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on March 26, 2026, charges The New York and Presbyterian Hospital with violating Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The suit was brought jointly with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
New York-Presbyterian owns and operates eight hospitals and many outpatient facilities in the New York City area. According to the complaint, the hospital system imposes restrictions in its payor contracts that prevent insurers from offering plans that exclude New York-Presbyterian or that place it outside the most favored tier. The complaint further alleges that New York-Presbyterian prohibits payors from offering patients lower copays when they choose to receive care at rival hospitals — even when those rivals are often lower priced.
The government contends these restrictions insulate New York-Presbyterian from price competition, limit rival hospitals from competing for patients on price or value, and block the development of budget-conscious health plans that are available in other parts of the country.
The suit seeks an injunction barring New York-Presbyterian from continuing to impose those contractual restrictions. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said millions of New Yorkers pay more for healthcare because of these anticompetitive practices. Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Antitrust Division said New York-Presbyterian has known for years that consumers want budget-conscious health plans that reduce healthcare costs, but rather than offer consumers choice, uses its market power to protect its margins, impede competition from rival hospitals, and prevent employers and unions from creating such plans. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York said his office will continue to work with the Antitrust Division to investigate and confront anticompetitive practices that contribute to higher healthcare costs.
The Division described the case as its second antitrust action this year aimed at ensuring Americans can access healthcare markets with robust competition and receive high quality, affordable care.