Markets Wired

On Monday, May 9, 2011, the Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop to seek input on the Proposed Statement of Antitrust Enforcement Policy, which discusses how the federal antitrust agencies will enforce U.S. antitrust laws when competing health care providers create new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) under the Affordable Care Act of 2010. The Act encourages physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers to integrate their health care delivery systems in order to improve the quality and reduce the costs of health care services for U.S. patients. The FTC and the Department of Justice issued the joint proposed Policy Statement on March 31, 2011, and the comment period ends on May 31, 2011.

The 10 am-1 pm workshop will feature a moderated discussion with a variety of industry stakeholders, including health care providers and insurers, as well as academics, health policy and economic experts, and representatives of the FTC and the Department of Justice.

The workshop is free and open to the public, but space is limited and attendees will be admitted on a first-come basis. It will be held at the FTC’s New Jersey Ave. Conference Center at 601 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, DC. Details about the workshop, including an agenda and list of speakers, will be posted by Wednesday, May 4, 2011 on the FTC’s ACO website at: http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/aco2/index.shtml.

The event will be webcast live. A link will be available the day of the workshop at http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/aco2/index.shtml. A transcript will be made available after the workshop. Questions for panelists may be submitted via email to aco@ftc.gov by May 5, 2011. Other questions about the workshop also may be directed to this email address.

Information about the workshop, the FTC/DOJ Proposed Statement of Antitrust Enforcement Policy, and the proposed rule on ACOs issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may be found at http://www.ftc.gov/opp/aco/index.shtml.

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Requests should be submitted via email to jhoke@ftc.gov or by calling Jessica Hoke at 202-326-2409. Requests should be made in advance. Please include a detailed description of the accommodation needed, and provide contact information.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.