The tech firm has been a critical conduit for shuttling information between most of the nation's insurance companies and providers, but since the hack, some insurers must send forms in the mail, delaying payment substantially.

Many states have passed laws that allow hospital systems to merge into monopolies, making them difficult to control and causing a decrease in care – and public records suggest that's exactly what happened at Ballad Health.

Without federal intervention, states that have seen megamergers, such as Michigan and California, are often left to wrestle with the complex question of how to respond, given the likelihood of higher prices for their residents.