Doctors Should Not Receive Collective Bargaining Power

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The United States Chamber of Commerce today declared its strong opposition to the "Quality Health-Care Coalition Act" (H.R. 1304), an anti-competitive proposal that will drive up costs and increase the number of uninsured Americans.

"Non-union physicians do not need special antitrust relief," said Kate Sullivan, the U.S. Chamber's health care policy manager. "Under existing law and guidelines, independent physicians can form group practices or other joint ventures that increase their bargaining power. They can also communicate with each other, consumers and health plans about quality of care issues. If these guidelines are not working as they were intended for physicians and other providers, let's address those issues. A sweeping exemption of this sort is overkill."

Particularly of concern to the Chamber are provisions of H.R. 1304 that model the antitrust exemption on the sort of exemption enjoyed by trade unions under the National Labor Relations Act – but without having to meet the other NLRA requirements that assure a level playing field. "The precedent that H.R. 1304 would establish for all independent contractors is breathtaking," she said.

Added Sullivan: "Allowing physicians to form a cartel will exacerbate the effects of renewed health care inflation and reduce the ability of network-based plans to improve health care quality. When providers collude to drive up their incomes from health plans, patients wind up footing the bill through higher premiums, cutbacks in benefits, or the loss of coverage entirely."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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