On October 20, 2011, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, which coordinate enforcement of the antitrust laws, issued their final Statement of Antitrust Enforcement Policy Regarding Accountable Care Organizations Participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (the “Enforcement Policy”). The fundamental principle of the Enforcement Policy is that the agencies will apply the rule-of-reason analysis to all accountable care organizations applying for or participating in the Shared Savings Program and, if the same services are involved, to commercial insurance products modeled on the Shared Savings Program.
Please read the associated Duane Morris Alert for full details.