Becker's Healthcare July 9, 2021
President Joe Biden signed an executive order July 9 that addresses competition among hospitals, health insurers, prescription drugmakers and hearing aid manufacturers.
While goals of the 72-initiative executive order stretch across economic sectors, healthcare is one of the main markets in which the president wants to discourage consolidation.
Ten things to know:
1. Under the order, the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission are encouraged to “vigorously” enforce antitrust laws, even on past mergers that previous administrations haven’t challenged.
2. Enforcement of antitrust laws should focus specifically on healthcare. The executive order has four focus areas in healthcare: hospitals, health insurers, prescription drugs and hearing aids.
Hospitals
3. The executive order calls on the Justice Department and...