DOJ announces task force on health care monopolies and collusion

The Department of Justice May 9 announced the formation of a task force focusing on competition concerns in health care. The unit, the Task Force on Health Care Monopolies and Collusion, will enforce strategy and policy guidance, in addition to investigations, and civil and criminal enforcement. The task force will consider widespread competition concerns shared by patients, health care professionals, businesses and entrepreneurs, including issues regarding payer-provider consolidation, serial acquisitions, labor and quality of care, medical billing, health care IT services, access to and misuse of health care data and more. The unit will consist of civil and criminal prosecutors, economists, health care industry experts, technologists, data scientists, investigators and policy advisors from the department.