A new study getting attention in Washington claims that the McCarran Ferguson Act hinders competition in health care and thus "the federal government is prevented from using the resources and expertise of one of its antitrust enforcement agencies to pursue this important problem."

The study's authors are: Martin Gaynor, Carnegie Mellon University; Farzad Mostashari, Aledade, Inc.; and Paul Ginsburg, The Brookings Institution.

"The FTC should be empowered to…enforce the antitrust laws in the health insurance industry," the report states.

The ADA believes the study, titled "Making Health Care Markets Work:
Competition Policy for Health Care," gives weight to the growing movement to implement policies that bring greater balance between insurance companies on one side and health care providers and patients on the other.

[Contact: Mindi Walker at 202-898-2404 or walkerm@ada.org]