Sanford, UnityPoint propose giant hospital system merger

Sanford Health and UnityPoint Health have agreed to merge, a move that would create a 76-hospital, tax-exempt system with $11 billion in revenue and an influential position throughout the Midwest and Great Plains.

Why it matters: Regional hospital systems merging into super-regional behemoths has been the trend for the past several years. But studies continue to show the combinations often to lead to higher prices and premiums for patients as the systems gain greater market power over health insurers.