<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-07-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000944765</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MERGE HEALTHCARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MRGE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001437683</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Merrick RIS, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>233 NORTH MICHIGAN AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2330</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60601</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001163431</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FERRO MICHAEL W JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>233 NORTH MICHIGAN AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2330</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60601</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-07-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>500000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>500000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Subsidiary Holdings</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30165137</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares issued to and held by Merrick Healthcare Solutions, LLC, an Indiana limited liability company (&quot;Merrick Healthcare&quot;) as consideration of the purchase price of the acquisition by Merge Healthcare Incorporated of the assets of and relating to the Olivia Greets business line previously owned by Merrick  Healthcare, a subsidiary operation of Merrick Ventures, LLC, a private investment firm, of which Merrick RIS is also a subsidiary.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On April 27, 2010, Merge Healthcare Incorporated issued an aggregate of 41,750 shares of Series A Non-Voting Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share and 7,515,000 shares of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, for a total purchase price of approximately $41,750,000.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The reporting persons are Merrick RIS, LLC (&quot;Merrick&quot;), a Delaware limited liability company, and Michael W. Ferro, Jr. (&quot;Mr. Ferro&quot;), the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Merge Healthcare Incorporated (&quot;Merge&quot;).  Mr. Ferro has sole voting and investment power with respect to the Merge Common Stock held by Merrick and, accordingly, may be deemed for purposes of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the beneficial owner of securities held by Merrick.  The address of the reporting persons is 233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2330, Chicago, Illinois 60601.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Julie Ann B. Schumitsch, by Power of Attorney for Merrick RIS, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-07-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Julie Ann B. Schumitsch, by Power of Attorney for Michael W. Ferro, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-07-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
