Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra has created a new role, the Chief Competition Officer (CCO), as part of the Administration’s efforts to lower health care prices and promote competition in health care markets. The CCO will address concentration in health care markets and develop additional health care competition policy initiatives. This move follows on the heels of FTC and DOJ updated guidelines that take a tougher approach on mergers and make it easier for regulators to go after vertical and cross-market deals. Given this new role, we expect more regulations this year impacting mergers and acquisitions.