The Justice Department filed to dismiss the government's indictment against Deerfield, Ill.-based ASC chain SCA Health, formerly Surgical Care Affiliates, for allegedly agreeing with competitors to not poach senior-level employees.
In a filing in a federal court in Dallas, the department asked a judge to dismiss the charges, saying it would "allow the conservation of this court's time and resources."
In January 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas charged SCA Health and related entities with conspiring with other healthcare companies to suppress competition between them for senior-level employees. SCA Health allegedly had agreements with an unnamed company in Texas from May 2010 to October 2017 and one in Colorado from February 2012 to July 2017.
In July, SCA Health, Dallas-based United Surgical Partners International and Denver-based Davita were also sued by a former Davita employee alleging they colluded to suppress wages and suppress competition for senior-level employees. DaVita and its former CEO were also charged on three counts in connection with the collusion allegations in July 2021, but they were acquitted in April 2022.
According to court records, SCA filed a motion in March 2021 seeking to dismiss the case.
Messages seeking comment from SCA and the Justice Department were not immediately returned.