Of late, announcements of megamergers between hospital systems, insurers and private companies have been dominating the healthcare news cycle. Despite good intentions—lower costs, better care for consumers—mergers and acquisitions rarely live up to expectations.

In her column for The American Journal of Managed Care, Megamergers Continue, but Some are Better than Others, Dr. Rita Numerof discusses the challenges associated with horizontal mergers, and why a vertical merger may be a preferable alternative.