In antitrust cases involving physician practices, damage estimations should consider the cost of providers delivering greater quantities of medical services as well as setting higher prices, according to an analysis performed by researchers from
The researchers based their analysis on a class-action suit involving Marshfield (
The researchers examined 40 million insurance claims submitted to health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield by all subscribers living in
Therefore, the study concludes that "especially in cases where a service-intensive practice style is a part of the competitive strategy of a provider accused of illegal anticompetitive conduct, methods of damage estimation should not be based on price only, but rather should also consider whether increased quantities of services contributed to the monetary losses experienced by consumers and health insurers."
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