A KFF issue brief explains the role of federal and state antitrust agencies in challenging anticompetitive practices among health care providers, including the legal authority of federal and state agencies, the role that they play in enforcing antitrust laws, and proposed options for strengthening their authority.
The brief focuses on health care providers, though many of the principles discussed also apply to the practices of other health care entities as well, such as health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (which are currently being reviewed by the FTC). While the focus of the brief is on the role of government agencies, antitrust law also authorizes private parties, such as employer health plans, to challenge anticompetitive practices in the courts. Read more.
