UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

In the Matter of
MICHAEL T. BERKLEY, D.C., and
MARK A. CASSELLIUS, D.C.

File No. 991-0278

AGREEMENT CONTAINING CONSENT ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST

The Federal Trade Commission ("Commission"), having initiated an investigation of certain acts and practices of the proposed respondents, named above, and it now appearing that proposed respondents are willing to enter into an agreement containing an order to cease and desist from those acts and practices, and providing for other relief:

IT IS HEREBY AGREED by and between proposed respondents and counsel for the Commission that:

1. Proposed respondent Michael T. Berkley, D.C., is a chiropractor licensed and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Wisconsin, with his principal places of business located at 322 Cameron Avenue, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601.

2. Proposed respondent Mark A. Cassellius, D.C., is a chiropractor licensed and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Wisconsin, with his principal places of business located at 2045 32nd Street South, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601.

3. Proposed respondents admit all the jurisdictional facts set forth in the draft of complaint here attached.

4. Proposed respondents waive:

(a) any further procedural steps;

(b) the requirement that the Commission's decision contain a statement of findings of fact and conclusions of law;

(c) all rights to seek judicial review or otherwise to challenge or contest the validity of the order entered pursuant to this agreement; and

(d) any claim under the Equal Access to Justice Act.

5. This agreement shall not become part of the public record of the proceeding unless and until it is accepted by the Commission. If this agreement is accepted by the Commission it, together with the draft of complaint contemplated thereby, will be placed on the public record for a period of thirty (30) days and information with respect thereto publicly released. The Commission thereafter may either withdraw its acceptance of this agreement and so notify proposed respondents, in which event it will take such action as it may consider appropriate, or issue and serve its complaint (in such form as the circumstances may require) and decision, in disposition of the proceeding.

6. Within thirty (30) days after this agreement is signed by the proposed respondents, proposed respondents shall submit an initial report, pursuant to Section 2.33 of the Commission's Rules, signed by the proposed respondents and setting forth in detail the manner in which the proposed respondents have complied and will comply with Paragraphs II and III of the proposed order, including, but not limited to, all steps taken by the proposed respondents to create and implement an antitrust compliance program. Such report shall not become part of the public record unless and until the accompanying agreement and order are accepted by the Commission for public comment.

7. This agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by proposed respondents that the law has been violated as alleged in the draft of complaint here attached, or that the facts as alleged in the draft complaint, other than jurisdictional facts, are true.

8. This agreement contemplates that, if it is accepted by the Commission, and if such acceptance is not subsequently withdrawn by the Commission pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.34 of the Commission's Rules, the Commission may, without further notice to proposed respondents, (1) issue its complaint corresponding in form and substance with the draft of complaint here attached and its decision containing the following order to cease and desist in disposition of the proceeding and (2) make information public in respect thereto. When so entered, the order shall have the same force and effect and may be altered, modified or set aside in the same manner and within the same time provided by statute for other orders. The order shall become final upon service. Delivery by the U.S. Postal Service of the complaint and decision containing the agreed-to order to proposed respondents' addresses or their attorneys' addresses as stated in this agreement shall constitute service. Proposed respondents waive any right they may have to any other manner of service. The complaint may be used in construing the terms of the order, and no agreement, understanding, representation, or interpretation not contained in the order or the agreement may be used to vary or contradict the terms of the order.

9. By signing this agreement containing consent order, proposed respondents represent that the full relief contemplated by this agreement can be accomplished. Proposed respondents have read the proposed complaint and order contemplated hereby. Proposed respondents understand that once the order has been issued, they will be required to file one or more compliance reports showing that they have fully complied with the order. Proposed respondents agree to comply with Paragraph II of the proposed order from the date they sign this agreement. Proposed respondents further understand that they may be liable for civil penalties in the amount provided by law for each violation of the order after it becomes final.

ORDER

I.

IT IS ORDERED that, for the purposes of this order, the following definitions shall apply:

A. "Payer" means any person that purchases, reimburses for, or otherwise pays for all or part of any health care services for itself or for any other person. "Payer" includes, but is not limited to, any health insurance company; preferred provider organization; prepaid hospital, medical, or other health service plan; health maintenance organization; government health benefits program; employer or other person providing or administering self-insured health benefits programs; and patients who purchase health care for themselves.

B "Person" means both natural persons and artificial persons, including, but not limited to, corporations, unincorporated entities, partnerships, and governments.

C. "Provider" means any person that supplies health care services to any other person, including, but not limited to, chiropractors, physicians, hospitals, and clinics.

D. "Reimbursement" means any payment, whether cash or non-cash, or other benefit received for the provision of chiropractic goods and services.

E. "Qualified risk-sharing joint arrangement" means an arrangement to provide physician services in which: (1) all physicians participating in the arrangement share substantial financial risk from their participation in the arrangement through: (a) the provision of services to payers at a capitated rate, (b) the provision of services for a predetermined percentage of premium or revenue from payers, (c) the use of significant financial incentives (e.g., substantial withholds) for its participating physicians, as a group, to achieve specified cost-containment goals, or (d) the provision of a complex or extended course of treatment that requires the substantial coordination of care by physicians in different specialties offering a complementary mix of services, for a fixed, predetermined payment, where the costs of that course of treatment for any individual patient can vary greatly due to the individual patient's condition, the choice, complexity, or length of treatment, or other factors; (2) any agreement on prices or terms of reimbursement entered into by the arrangement is reasonably necessary to obtain significant efficiencies through the joint arrangement; and (3) the arrangement does not restrict the ability, or facilitate the refusal, of physicians participating in the arrangement to deal with payers individually or through any other arrangement.

F. "Qualified clinically integrated joint arrangement" means an arrangement to provide physician services in which: (1) all physicians participating in the arrangement participate in active and ongoing programs of the arrangement to evaluate and modify the practice patterns of, and create a high degree of interdependence and cooperation among, the physicians participating in the arrangement, in order to control costs and ensure quality of the services provided through the arrangement; (2) any agreement on prices or terms of reimbursement entered into by the arrangement is reasonably necessary to obtain significant efficiencies through the joint arrangement; and (3) the arrangement does not restrict the ability, or facilitate the refusal, of physicians participating in the arrangement to deal with payers individually or through any other arrangement.

II.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each respondent, directly or indirectly, or through any corporate or other device, in connection with the provision of chiropractic goods and services in or affecting commerce, as "commerce" is defined in Section 4 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 44, forthwith cease and desist from:

A. Entering into, adhering to, participating in, maintaining, organizing, implementing, enforcing, or otherwise facilitating any combination, conspiracy, agreement, or understanding, express or implied, with any person or among any persons, to fix, establish, raise, stabilize, maintain, adjust, or tamper with any fee, fee schedule, price, pricing formula, discount, or other aspect or term of the fees charged or to be charged for any chiropractic goods or services.

B. Entering into, adhering to, participating in, maintaining, organizing, implementing, enforcing, or otherwise facilitating any combination, conspiracy, agreement, or understanding to:

1. Negotiate on behalf of any other chiropractor with any payer or provider;

2. Deal or refuse to deal with, boycott or threaten to boycott, any payer or provider; or

3. Determine any terms, conditions, or requirements upon which chiropractors deal with any payer or provider, including, but not limited to, terms of reimbursement.

C. Encouraging, advising, pressuring, inducing, or attempting to induce any person to engage in any action that would be prohibited if the person were subject to this order.

PROVIDED that nothing in this order shall be construed to prohibit any agreement or conduct by any respondent that is reasonably necessary to form, facilitate, manage, operate, or participate in:

(a) A qualified risk-sharing joint arrangement; or

(b) A qualified clinically integrated joint arrangement, if the applicable respondent has provided the prior notification(s) as required by this paragraph (b). Such prior notification must be filed with the Secretary of the Commission at least thirty (30) days prior to forming; facilitating; managing; operating; participating in; or taking any action, other than planning, in furtherance of any joint arrangement requiring such notice ("first waiting period"), and shall include for such arrangement the identity of each participant, the location or area of operation, a copy of the agreement and any supporting organizational documents, a description of its purpose or function, a description of the nature and extent of the integration expected to be achieved and the anticipated resulting efficiencies, an explanation of the relationship of any agreement on reimbursement to furthering the integration and achieving the expected efficiencies, and a description of any procedures proposed to be implemented to limit possible anticompetitive effects resulting from such agreement(s). If, within the first waiting period, a representative of the Commission makes a written request for additional information, the applicable respondent shall not form; facilitate; manage; operate; participate in; or take any action, other than planning, in furtherance of such joint arrangement until thirty (30) days after substantially complying with such request for additional information or shorter waiting period as may be granted by letter from the Bureau of Competition.

III.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each respondent shall:

A. Within thirty (30) days after the date this order becomes final, distribute a dated and signed notification letter in the form set forth in Appendix A to this order along with a copy of the complaint and order in this matter to each current agent, representative, or employee of the respondent whose activities are affected by this order, or who has responsibilities with respect to the subject matter of this order.

B. For a period of five (5) years after the date this order becomes final, and within thirty (30) days of the date the person assumes such position, distribute a dated and signed notification letter in the form set forth in Appendix A to this order along with a copy of the of the complaint and order in this matter to each new agent, representative, or employee of the respondent whose activities are affected by this order, or who has responsibilities with respect to the subject matter of this order.

IV.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each respondent shall, for a period of ten (10) years after the date this order becomes final:

A. Notify the Commission within thirty (30) days of the discontinuance of his present business or employment and of each affiliation with a new business or employment. Each notice of affiliation with any new business or employment shall include his new business address and telephone number, current home address, and a statement describing the nature of the business or employment and the duties and responsibilities.

B. Provide a copy of the complaint and order in this matter to each new employer within seven (7) days of his employment where the duties and responsibilities of such employment are subject to the provisions of this order.

V.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each respondent shall, within thirty (30) days after the date on which this order becomes final, distribute by first-class mail a copy of this order and the accompanying complaint to each payer or provider who, at any time since January 1, 1997, has communicated any desire, willingness, or interest in contracting for chiropractic goods and services with the respondent.

VI.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that:

A. Within sixty (60) days after the date this order becomes final, each respondent shall submit to the Commission a verified written report setting forth in detail the manner and form in which he intends to comply, is complying, and has complied with Paragraphs II, III and V of this order.

B. One (1) year from the date this order becomes final, annually for the next five (5) years on the anniversary of the date this order becomes final, and at other times as the Commission may require, each respondent shall file a verified written report with the Commission setting forth in detail the manner and form in which he has complied and is complying with Paragraphs II through IV of this order.

VII.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, for the purpose of determining or securing compliance with this order, upon written request, each respondent shall permit any duly authorized representative of the Commission:

A. Access, during normal office hours and in the presence of counsel, to inspect and copy all books, ledgers, accounts, correspondence, memoranda, calendars, and other records and documents in the possession or under the control of respondent relating to any matter contained in this order.

B. Upon five business days' notice to a respondent, and without restraint or interference from that respondent, to interview that respondent or any employee or representative of that respondent.

VIII.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this order shall terminate twenty (20) years from the date this order becomes final.

Signed this day of , .

Michael T. Berkley, D.C.

Beth J. Kushner
von Briesen Purtell & Roper, S.C.
735 North Water Street, 10th Floor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Counsel for Respondent Berkley

Mark A. Cassellius, D.C.

Joseph J. Connell
Park O'Flaherty, Ltd.
201 Main Street
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54602
Counsel for Respondent Cassellius

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

BY:
Nicholas J. Franczyk,
David A. O'Toole, and
Evan Siegel, Attorneys

Alan E. Krause, Investigator

APPROVED:

C. Steven Baker
Director
Midwest Region

Willard K. Tom
Deputy Director
Bureau of Competition

Richard G. Parker
Director
Bureau of Competition