Consolidation and Integration in Health Care: What It Means for Patients, Payers, and Policy

Event Date: Feb 18, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.

News reports across the country trumpet major mergers and consolidation involving health insurers, physician practices, pharmacy benefits managers, hospitals and health systems, and other providers, including many that integrate different services under a single umbrella. The current wave of consolidation and integration has federal and state policy makers examining how it affects competition, prices, and overall costs.

At 12 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 18, three experts will join moderator Larry Levitt for an hour-long “Health Wonk Shop” discussion about health care consolidation and integration. During the event, panelists will discuss the motivations behind horizontal and vertical consolidation in health care, its potential to lower or raise costs, the implications for patients and payers, and how policy makers could respond.