Hillenbrand Settles Antitrust Lawsuit

Hospital bed and casket maker Hillenbrand Industries Inc. agreed to pay $337.5 million to settle an antitrust class-action lawsuit that challenged its “bundled pricing” discounting of specialty hospital beds.

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System of Spartanburg, S.C., sued Hillenbrand in June 2003, alleging attempted monopolization of the hospital bed market with discounting practices that violated federal antitrust rules.

Chairman Ray J. Hillenbrand said the company agreed to the settlement even though it found Spartanburg’s allegations “without merit and continues to deny any and all allegations of wrongdoing.”