FTC to Host Workshop on Health Care and Competition Law and Policy September 9-10, 2002 - Washington, D.C.

The implications of competition law and policy for health care financing and delivery are the focus of a Federal Trade Commission workshop to be held on September 9-10, 2002 in Washington, D.C. The workshop will consider the impact of competition law and policy on the cost, quality, and availability of health care, and the incentives for innovation in the field.

Developing and implementing competition policy for health care raises complex and sensitive issues. The workshop will provide a "snapshot" of the coverage and delivery markets, and review the results of an empirical study of antitrust litigation during the past 15 years and the Commission's recent activity in the area. The goal is to promote dialogue, learning, and consensus-building among all interested parties (including, but not limited to, the business, consumer, government, legal, provider, insurer, and health policy/health services/health economics communities). In addition to officials from the FTC, representatives of these interested parties will be invited to give their perspective on the following general issues: the effect of competition law and policy on the health care industry, including the cost, quality, and availability of goods and services and the incentives for innovation; the current enforcement environment; the manner in which non-price competition (including, but not limited to, quality of care) is factored into competition law and policy; the consistency of competition law and policy with the requirements and incentives created by other federal and state laws and policies; and whether the 1996 Statements of Antitrust Enforcement Policy in Health Care jointly issued by the FTC and the Department of Justice need to be updated.

The two-day workshop will be held on September 9-10, 2002, in Room 432 at the FTC headquarters, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

The Commission has approved a Federal Register notice, to be published shortly, announcing the workshop. The Commission vote was 5-0. Any interested person may submit written comments responsive to any of the topics to be addressed; such comments should be submitted no later than September 30, 2002. Written comments should be submitted in both hard copy and electronic form. Six hard copies of each submission should be addressed to Donald S. Clark, Office of the Secretary, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

Submissions should be captioned "Comments Regarding Competition Law and Policy & Health Care." Electronic submissions may be sent by electronic mail to hcclp@ftc.gov. Alternatively, electronic submissions may be filed on a 3-1/2 inch computer disk with a label stating the name of the submitter and the name and version of the word processing program used to create the document.

Copies of the Federal Register notice are available from the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Hyman, Special Counsel, Office of General Counsel, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 568, Washington, D.C. 20580; telephone (202) 326-2622; e-mail: dhyman@ftc.gov. Detailed agendas for the workshop will be available on this FTC Web site: http://www.ftc.gov/ogc/healthcare/index.htm - and from Angela Wilson, staff assistant, at (202) 326-3190 shortly before the workshop is held.

(FTC File No.: P859907)