The ABA Section of Antitrust Law hosted its annual Fall Forum in Washington, DC on 17 November 2011 to discuss the latest cutting-edge issues in competition and consumer protection enforcement. NERA Senior Vice President Dr. Lawrence Wu participated in a panel session entitled "Healthcare: Accountable Care Organizations" along with The Honorable J. Thomas Rosch, Commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Fiona M. Scott-Morton, Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Antitrust Division; and Joshua D. Wright, Professor of Law at George Mason University. The panel, moderated by Seth C. Silber of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC, discussed the recently enacted US healthcare reform, which seeks to improve access to healthcare while making the system more efficient. A key component of those reforms is the authorization of accountable care organizations (ACOs) that are intended to enable progress on both fronts. At the same time, ACOs present significant antitrust issues. The panel examined how the DOJ and FTC are approaching ACOs as well as other competition issues in the US healthcare system.
 
To learn more, please visit the ABA Section of Antitrust Law website.