Markets Wired

Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) and Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. have submitted an application to the Federal Trade Commission to sell what are known as the Delaware Assets, including MeadowWood Behavioral Health, to PHC, Inc., which does business as Pioneer Behavioral Health. The companies are required to sell the assets under an FTC order settling charges that UHS’s acquisition of Psychiatric Solutions as originally proposed was anticompetitive.

According to the companies’ application, the sale will satisfy the terms of the FTC decision and order. PHC is a leading provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services headquartered in Peabody, Massachusetts, and UHS believes PHC will operate the Delaware Assets as a strong and effective competitor. Under the terms of the FTC order, UHS must still divest assets in Puerto Rico and Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Commission is accepting public comment on the application until May 12, 2011, after which it will decide whether to approve the sale. Written comments should be sent to: FTC Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20580. To file a comment, please click on: https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/psychsolutionspetition, and follow the instructions at that site. Copies of the application also can be found on the FTC’s website and as a link to this press release. (FTC File No. 101-0142, Docket No. C-4309; the staff contact is Elizabeth A. Piotrowski, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2623; see press release dated November 15, 2010.)

Copies of the document mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s website at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.

(FYI 19.2011.wpd)