Legal Library: Cases and Proceedings

Two separate consent orders settle antitrust concerns stemming from acquisitions by the Loewen Group of certain funeral homes and cemeteries that substantially reduced competition in Brownsville and Harlingen/San Benito, Texas, and in Castlewood, Virgina.  The orders require Loewen to divest properties in the three local markets to restore competition.

The Commission authorized staff to file a complaint and settlement in federal district court to settle allegations that the College and three physician groups engaged in an illegal boycott in an effort to coerce the government to make price-related changes under Puerto Rico's government-managed care plan for the indigent. According to the complaint, filed by the Commission and Puerto Rico's Attorney General in the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico on October 2, 1997, the College and physicians engaged in an eight day boycott of all physician services for non-emergency patient care, which caused many people to be treated at area hospital emergency rooms and forced others to completely forego medical care. The settlement prohibits such practices in the future and in addition, requires the College to pay $300,000 to the catastrophic fund administered by the Puerto Rico Department of Health.