In This Issue: Price-fixing and Physicians Groups Price Discrimination in Hospital Pharmacies Staff Privileges and Exclusions

The Federal Trade Commission provided new guidance on its standards for “clinical integration” in its 2006 Advisory Opinion to Suburban Health Organization, Inc., stating that, if a network of competing physicians meets the FTC’s clinical integration standards, it may negotiate with a managed care organization (MCO) on behalf of its physician members without fear of a federal Antitrust prosecution for price-fixing.