Markets Wired

The Federal Trade Commission has announced the agenda for the upcoming public workshop on “Examining U.S. Health Care Competition.” The workshop will be held in the FTC Conference Center at 601 New Jersey Ave., N.W., in Washington, DC, on March 20 and 21, 2014.

Health care spending accounts for a large part of federal, state, and consumer budgets. The FTC focuses its resources to ensure that health care markets benefit from competition and innovation, both of which can reduce costs and increase the quality and accessibility of health care for consumers.

The health care industry has evolved significantly in recent years. While some changes have related to implementation of health care reform legislation, many other developments have reflected general and longstanding concerns about cost, quality, access, and care coordination. The proposed workshop will focus on these broader developments. The goal of the workshop is to enhance the Commission’s expertise and knowledge base regarding competitive dynamics in this critical sector of the economy, in support of the Commission’s enforcement, advocacy, and consumer education efforts.

This workshop will address five key topics related to health care competition, each of which is listed below. Additional details and proposed questions can be found in the Federal Register notice announcing the event.

• Professional Regulation of Health Care Providers;
• Innovations in Health Care Delivery;
• Advancements in Health Care Technology;
• Measuring and Assessing Quality of Health Care; and
• Price Transparency of Health Care Services.

The FTC’s health care competition workshop is free and open to the public. It will also be webcast on the FTC’s site. As of March 10, pre-registration for this event is closed, as we have reached our limit for pre-registrants. Due to the anticipated popularity of this event, people are encouraged to watch the live webcast. Seating is limited, and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please arrive at the Conference Center a full hour before the event, and no less than 30 minutes before. If you emailed a pre-registration request by March 10, you are on the pre-registration list, but this does not guarantee you a seat at the workshop. It is still important to arrive early, as seats are available only until we reach capacity. You must have a valid government issued photo ID (government badge, license, passport, etc.). The security processing will include a metal detector and X-ray screening of all hand carried items.

In addition, any interested person may submit written comments on issues raised in the notice or during the workshop through April 30, 2014. Instructions about how to submit comments can be found in the Federal Register notice. The workshop will be webcast on the FTC’s site. FTC staff will live-tweet the workshop. Follow @FTC and tweet your questions with #FTChealthcare.

The FTC’s Office of Policy Planning works with the Commission and its staff to develop long-range competition and consumer policy initiatives, consistent with the FTC’s unique mission to conduct research and engage in advocacy on issues that affect competition, consumers, and the U.S. economy. The Office of Policy Planning submits advocacy filings; conducts research and studies; organizes public workshops; issues reports; and advises staff on cases raising new or complex policy and legal issues. To reach the Office of Policy Planning, send an e-mail to opp@ftc.gov. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.