A federal judge is allowing a majority of St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center’s antitrust claims to proceed against Hartford HealthCare, finding it plausibly pleaded several counts alleging that the largest health care system in the state has created a monopoly of adult specialist health care services in Hartford County.

St. Francis, a smaller facility with approximately 575 staffed beds, alleges that Hartford HealthCare Corp., and various affiliates, have unreasonably restrained trade and created a monopoly of such services in the county. In January 2022, St. Francis brought eight federal and state antitrust claims and one state common-law claim against its health care competitor in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.