Increasing consolidation in healthcare markets: what are the antitrust policy implications?
OBJECTIVE
To discuss the implications of the rapid transformation of the healthcare financing and delivery system for competition, social welfare, and antitrust policy.


RESULTS
Horizontal and vertical consolidations can enhance efficiency but can also be anticompetitive in markets characterized by entry barriers.


CONCLUSIONS
Active enforcement of the antitrust laws is essential to ensure that competition in healthcare markets will lead to procompetitive, rather than anticompetitive effects. However, healthcare antitrust enforcement policy must be flexible enough to allow efficient new forms of organization and practice to emerge.
Haas-Wilson
D
D
Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, USA.
Gaynor
M
M
D016363:Antitrust Laws; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration; D004465:Economic Competition / Q000639:trends; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005376:Financial Management / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006273:Health Facility Merger / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States