ACCC not to oppose Medibank proposed acquisition of Australian Health Management Group

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not intervene in the proposed acquisition of Australian Health Management Group Limited by Medibank Private Limited, ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said today.

"The ACCC conducted a comprehensive review of the proposed acquisition including extensive market inquiries with interested parties.

"The ACCC paid particular attention to competition in private health insurance (PHI) consumer markets and the potential impact of the proposed acquisition on the supply of health management services to PHI providers.

"In reaching its decision the ACCC found that there are likely to be alternative providers of health management services currently operating or capable of expanding their operations to form an alternative to the merged entity for small to medium PHI providers.

"In addition, the ACCC considered that the extent to which PHI providers are currently utilising health management services is likely to be insufficient for the merged entity to foreclose competition in PHI markets by restricting or raising the cost of its supply of health management services to rival PHI providers."