Partners Health Network, Inc., In the Matter of

A physician-hospital organization operating in northwestern South Carolina, agreed to settle charges that it orchestrated and carried out agreements among its physician members to set the prices they would accept from health plans, and to refuse to deal with health plans that did not agree to its collectively determined prices. The consent order settling the FTC’s charges prohibits the PHO from collectively negotiating with health plans on behalf of its physicians and from setting terms of dealing with purchasers.