The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division and Dave Yost announced Friday that they filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against OhioHealth in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

Federal and state officials allege that OhioHealth, the largest healthcare system in central Ohio, imposed contractual restrictions on insurers that limited competition and forced patients to pay higher prices. The complaint seeks to block OhioHealth from enforcing the disputed contract provisions. The system owns or manages 16 hospitals and outpatient facilities across the state.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the lawsuit reflects the administration’s broader effort to reduce healthcare costs. “Americans deserve low-cost, high-quality healthcare — not anticompetitive hospital system contracts that make healthcare less affordable,” Bondi said in a statement.

According to the complaint, OhioHealth allegedly used its market leverage to require insurers to include its facilities in all commercial insurance networks, regardless of price competitiveness. The Justice Department contends this practice prevented insurers from offering lower-cost or innovative health plans that might steer patients to more affordable providers.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi said the restrictions “prevent consumers from choosing lower-cost health plans and severely limit consumers’ access to price information,” adding that families in the Columbus area were left with fewer options and higher costs.

The filing comes amid debate over federal antitrust enforcement. Sen. Amy Klobuchar recently raised concerns that leadership changes within the Justice Department could weaken antitrust oversight. The department’s action against OhioHealth signals continued enforcement activity.

The lawsuit follows a recent settlement by the Federal Trade Commission with Express Scripts over allegations that its business practices contributed to inflated insulin prices. FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said that agreement is expected to lower out-of-pocket drug costs and increase transparency in the prescription market.

The OhioHealth case now moves forward in federal court, where officials aim to dismantle what they describe as contractual barriers to competition in the region’s healthcare market.