The FTC has been active in the healthcare space recently as pressure builds in the debates surrounding prescription drug prices, healthcare consolidation and noncompete agreements for physicians and other clinicians.
Here are three recent updates on the FTC:
1. The Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Cigna’s Express Scripts in a case over alleged inflation of insulin prices Feb. 4. Under the settlement, Express Scripts must keep drug manufacturer compensation delinked from list prices, promise insulin savings unless a plan sponsor opts out and avoid favoring drugs with high list prices over cheaper alternatives. With the move, the FTC expects to lower out-of-pocket costs for drugs like insulin by $7 billion over a decade.
2. In a recent online workshop hosted by the FTC, the agency’s Chair Andrew Ferguson said that the agency would not impose a blanket ban on noncompetes in all physician contracts, instead opting to evaluate noncompetes on a base-by-case basis.
3. The FTC is pending clearance for Medtronic’s acquisition of CathWorks, an interventional cardiology medical device company. The deal is valued at up to $585 million with potential undisclosed earn-out payments post-acquisition. Medtronic expects this phase to be completed by the end of its fiscal year 2026, the release said.
