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A top Federal Trade Commission official is denying accusations by congressional Republicans and medical providers that the health care law has triggered excessive industry consolidation. Federal antitrust rules can regulate competition in harmony with the health care law, the White House's landmark legislative achievement, according to Deborah Feinstein, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. Republicans have criticized the health law, which mandates that individuals carry health insurance or face a penalty, since its passage in 2010. Republicans have pointed to statistics showing that mergers among hospitals nearly doubled between 2009 and 2013. (Chamseddine, 12/15)

There's a study out today that examines new data about how much we're paying for our care and what hospital mergers in various cities have to do with that. Marketplace Healthcare Reporter Dan Gorenstein explains. (Ryssdal, 12/15)