The FTC has retrospectively reviewed mergers since 1984. The two goals of the program are to understand whether the agency’s threshold for bringing an enforcement action in a merger case has been too permissive and to assess the performance of tools that FTC economists use to predict the effects of proposed mergers.
The expanded program means the agency will dedicate more time and resources to studying completed mergers, addressing antitrust questions that have not been extensively studied in previous years and expanding retrospective reviews to industries that have not been studied.
Compared to other industries, healthcare mergers have undergone extensive scrutiny under the retrospective review program, with eight studies since 2011. These retrospective analyses have proven influential to federal challenges of subsequent healthcare mergers: The FTC was able to challenge 13 hospital cases from 2008 to 2018.
As part of the expanded program, the FTC director of the bureau of economics will release an annual summary on lessons and findings from the retrospective studies.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.