FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         AT
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1994                                       (202) 616-2771
                                                              TDD (202) 514-1888

                  NEW ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT POLICY STATEMENTS
                        ISSUED FOR HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The federal government unveiled today new
antitrust guidelines for health care providers designed to encourage
agreements that promote efficiency in the health care industry and lower
health care costs to consumers.  
     The nine statements made public today detail new antitrust enforcement
policies and principles for health care and significantly expand and
replace six similar statements issued a year ago.  
     The new policy was announced at a news conference in the Department of
Justice by Anne K. Bingaman, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust
Division; Janet D. Steiger, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission; and
Senator Howard Metzenbaum, chairman of the Senate Judiciary's Subcommittee
on Antitrust, Monopolies and Business Rights.
     "These new policies strengthen the Administration's effort to develop
new and better methods of delivering health care to consumers," said
Bingaman.  "At the same time, they protect consumers by preserving and
promoting competition in health care markets."
     The statements provide antitrust guidance to the health care industry
on mergers, joint ventures and other activities.  Their intent is to
alleviate antitrust uncertainty in these areas.  
     Today's statements, in expanding upon the agencies' 1993 efforts,
provide guidance in new areas such as forming hospital joint ventures,
providing fee-related information to purchasers, and creating new health
care networks that include several categories of providers.  They also
provide additional guidance on topics the 1993 statements addressed.  
     Most of the statements describe antitrust safety zones that define
circumstances under which the Department and FTC will not challenge
mergers, joint ventures and other procompetitive, cost-saving activities.
     The nine statements cover:
       Mergers among hospitals.
       Hospital joint ventures involving high-technology or other
expensive health care equipment.
       Hospital joint ventures involving specialized clinical or other
expensive health care services.
       Providers' collective provision of non-fee-related information to
purchasers of health care services.
       Providers' collective provision of fee-related information to
purchasers of health care services.
       Provider participation in exchanges of price and cost information.
       Joint purchasing arrangements among health care providers.
       Physician network joint ventures. 
       Analytical principles relating to multiprovider networks.
     The Department and the FTC also vowed to continue an expedited
procedure to respond, generally within 90 days, to parties seeking
additional guidance on proposed health care joint ventures and other
activities.    
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