Partners/Harvard Pilgrim merger madness: I'm quoted in the Boston Globe
I just finished my post (Partners and Harvard Pilgrim aren't really going to merge are they?) when I got a call from the Boston Globe asking about the same topic.I'm quoted on the front page today (Experts puzzle over Partners-Harvard Pilgrim merger talks) and am happy to see I'm not the only one that is struggling to see the logic behind such a combination.Here's what I said:
“My guess is that regulators would not like this,” said David E. Williams, president of the Boston consulting firm Health Business Group. “There’s no compelling logic for a merger here. There would be a lot of resistance to it.”Williams said he doesn’t see a good business reason for a merger since Partners and Harvard Pilgrim, one of the largest health insurers in Massachusetts, could choose to work together more closely while remaining independent.
I'm pretty sure the idea of a merger won't get very far. Stay tuned.
By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.