On Tuesday, Dec. 12, ACEP President Aisha T. Terry, MD, MPH, FACEP; ACEP Executive Director & CEO Susan Sedory, MA, CAE; and Senior Vice President of Advocacy & Practice Affairs Laura Wooster met with Jonathan Kanter, the United States Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust and other key Department of Justice staff to discuss the growing negative impact of insurer consolidation on emergency physicians and the patients they care for.
This focus on insurer consolidation broadens ACEP’s recent advocacy efforts with the Federal Trade Commission on provider consolidation, non-competes, and corporatization of medicine.
In the meeting, ACEP raised concerns about the impact on clinical decision making and physician autonomy that vertical consolidation by insurers who directly employ physicians can bring. Also on the agenda was the rapidly diminishing leverage that EP groups have during contract negotiations as insurance companies are acquiring more and more market share via consolidation. Discussions also involved implementation of the No Surprises Act.
ACEP will continue to work with the DOJ on these and other related issues so emergency physicians can maintain and protect their professional autonomy, thrive in supportive and fair practice environments, and provide high quality emergency care to their patients.
