The word from Washington: The Tipline for 11 October 2018

The Department of Justice and state attorneys general from California, Florida, Hawaii, Mississippi and Washington yesterday sued to block the CVS Health/Aetna tie-up as originally proposed. The challenge comes despite press reports a few months ago that cited a Washington State regulator as saying the DOJ would not oppose the deal. The government simultaneously filed a settlement agreement under which Aetna will divest its Medicare prescription drug plan business to WellCare Health.