The issue
of concentration in the health care sector has commanded considerable attention
over the past year, with two major health insurance mergers under review by the
Department of Justice, three hospital merger cases filed by the Federal Trade
Commission in one month, and several physician consolidations coming under FTC
scrutiny. The problem of dealing with extant provider and insurer market power
has triggered studies by policy groups such as the National Academy of Social
Insurance to recommend a wide variety of regulatory measures and a number of
states adopting legislation seeking to create regulatory bodies. This panel
will explore issues arising out of the merger litigation and analyze regulatory
and legislative responses.
Coping with Concentration slides
The Anticompetitive Potential of Cross-Market Mergers in Health Care