11/2/2011 2:49 PM 

The Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights has announced a hearing on the proposed Express Scripts and Medco merger.  The hearing - titled "The Express Scripts/Medco Merger: Cost Savings for Consumers or More Profits for the Middlemen?" - will be held December 6, 2011, at 2:30 p.m.

The title reflects a key concern articulated by consumer groups, members of Congress and patient advocates - that any purported savings would not actually be passed along to health plans, employers and consumers.

In a September 20, 2011, letter to the Federal Trade Commission, consumer groups wrote that "the combined company is unlikely to pass on savings obtained through rebates to public and private payors."