St. Luke’s Asked to Pay Attorney Fees after Antitrust Lawsuit

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The winners of a federal antitrust lawsuit against a Boise-area hospital and Idaho's largest independent physicians' practice have filed a motion to recover attorney fees. The Idaho Statesman reports that the Idaho attorney general, Saint Alphonsus Health System, and Treasure Valley Hospital are seeking more than $10 million. The entities filed the motions in U.S. District Court in Boise on Friday seeking reimbursement from St. Luke's Health System. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled in January that the year-old acquisition by St. Luke's of Nampa-based Saltzer Medical Group needed to be unwound because it's likely the buyout would raise health care costs by giving the hospital a dominant market position. St. Luke's and Saltzer earlier this month filed a motion to stay the court ruling pending an appeal.