On August 6, 2012, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agreed by a vote of 5-0 to enter into proposed settlements with Renown Health regarding that group’s recent acquisitions of two cardiology groups in Reno, Nevada. The proposed consent decrees are available at: http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/1110101/index.shtm.

Renown Health is a healthcare company that operates general acute care hospitals and commercial health plans that serve the Reno area. In late 2010, Renown Health acquired Sierra Nevada Cardiology Associates (SNCA), one of two large cardiology groups in the Reno area. Less than a year later, Renown Health acquired Reno Heart Physicians (RHP), which according to the FTC, was the only other significant cardiology group in the area. Prior to these transactions, Renown Health did not employ any cardiologists.