Tag: Competition

The Surgical Specialists of Yakima, Cascade Surgical Partners, Inc., P.S. and Yakima Surgical Associates, P.S. settled charges that they jointly entered into agreements for their members to fix prices and terms for the provision of medical services when dealing with health care insurers.

A Georgia physician-hospital organization and its other associated physician groups settled charges that they entered into agreements to fix physician and hospital prices and refused to deal with insurance companies, except on collectively agreed-upon terms.

A consent order settled charges that the household goods movers association filed collectively established rate tariffs for its members in Minnesota, conduct that was not protected by the state action doctrine because the conduct was not actively supervised by the state. According to the complaint, the MTSA filed collectively set rates on behalf of its 89 members, which had the effect of fixing prices of household goods moves, and restricting price competition to the detriment of consumers.

The Iowa Movers and Warehousemen’s Association agreed to stop certain conduct to settle allegations that it filed collectively established tariffs for intrastate moving rates in Iowa - a practice which did not meet the requirements of the state action doctrine because the conduct was not actively supervised by the state.

A consent order prohibits a St. Louis, Missouri physicians’ organization from negotiating with third party payers on behalf of its member physicians and from refusing to deal with health insurance companies.

The Physician Network Consulting, L.L.C. of Baton Rouge Louisiana; Michael J. Taylor; Professional Orthopedic Services, Inc; The Bone and Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge, Inc.; Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic, L.L.C.; and Orthopaedic Surgery Associates of Baton Rouge, L.L.C. settled charges that they entered into agreements to fix prices and other terms on which they would deal with United HealthCare of Louisiana, Inc., a health insurance company. Physician Network Consulting is an agent for Professional Orthopedic Services’ members.

A network of doctors, hospitals, and its executive director, William R. Diggins, settled charges that they illegally engaged in price-fixing activities that raised health care costs in five Maine counties by negotiating jointly with third-party payers in a effort to obtain higher compensation and more advantageous contract terms for its members.

Consent order requires divestiture of Baxter's Autoplex product line of Factor VIII inhibitors used in the treatment for hemophilia and the licensing of Immuno International AG's fibrin sealant, a biologic product in development to be used to control bleeding in surgical procedures. According to the complaint issued with the final order, the acquisition of Immuno International would tend to create a monopoly and increase Baxter's ability to unilaterally raise prices in the market for the research, manufacture and sale of biologic products derived from human blood plasma.