Is antitrust relief for physicians included in the legislation?
Antitrust relief for physicians is not included in the legislation. Nonetheless, there appears to be growing recognition that antitrust relief is needed to enable physicians and other health care professionals to effectively negotiate with health plans without fear of violating antitrust laws. Physicians should be allowed to negotiate contract terms that increase patient choice and improve quality of care. Patients and their physicians should make informed decisions about their health care needs, not insurers. The AMA is advancing this objective through dialogue with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to modify enforcement policies through regulatory processes.
