Australia: Opened consultation on ACCC investigation into Westpac's Proposed Acquisition of HealthPoint

On 20 December 2023, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) opened a consultation concerning the proposed acquisition of HealthPoint by Westpac Investment Vehicle Pty Ltd (Westpac), a wholly owned subsidiary of Westpac Banking Corporation, until 16 January 2024. The investigation examines the impact on the ability of banking or channel providers to provide healthcare claiming Point of Sale (POS). Further, the ACCC focuses on whether Westpac could gain access to commercially sensitive information concerning banking and channel partners of HealthPoint and the impact on competition. Lastly, the investigation concerns the availability of HealthPoint to various banking and channel providers and whether this has a negative impact on competition.