Are nonprofit health care entities exempt from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Final Rule banning non-competes in worker agreements? The answer is not cut and dry. While the FTC’s authority generally stops at the doors of nonprofit entities, the FTC has warned in its Final Rule that it intends to vigorously enforce the ban wherever it can claim jurisdiction. The
Continue Reading FTC Signals Its Intent To Pursue Nonprofit Health Care Entities With Its Non-Compete Ban Whenever PossibleHealth Care
All Gas No Brakes – The FTC, DOJ, and HHS Unveil Online Reporting Portal as Latest Effort to Combat Unfair and Anticompetitive Health Care Practices
On April 18, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Justice Department (“DOJ”), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) launched an online reporting portal, HealthyCompetition.gov, for the public to report potentially unfair and anticompetitive health care practices. The online reporting portal provides examples of unfair and anticompetitive health care practices under existing antitrust laws including:
- “consolidation,
Medical Device Companies Settle Trade Secrets Dispute for $8,000,000
Aegis Spine Inc. has agreed to pay $8,000,000 to fellow spinal implant manufacturer Life Spine Inc., following Life Spine’s suit in the Northern District of Illinois alleging Aegis had misappropriated Life Spine’s trade secrets to create a “knockoff” competitive implant.
Life Spine, based in Illinois, develops and manufactures medical devices aimed at treating various spinal disorders. Its principal line of…
Continue Reading Medical Device Companies Settle Trade Secrets Dispute for $8,000,000New Non-Compete Health Care Restrictions in Connecticut
As various states and federal agencies seek to prohibit or limit the use of non-competes, Connecticut joined the trend. Connecticut’s new legislation, SB 9, expands restrictions on the enforceability of physician non-competes and extends these restrictions to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants (PAs).
Connecticut: SB 9
On June 5, 2023, the Connecticut Senate passed SB 9, sending it to Governor Ned Lamont to sign into law. The governor’s signature is a formality as the bill passed both houses of the Connecticut Legislature unanimously. By limiting the circumstances in which non-competes are enforceable under Connecticut law, SB 9 adds additional restrictions to the use of such covenants in physician employment agreements while extending these restrictions to APRN and PA employment agreements. Notably, the bill was significantly amended prior to passage with earlier versions banning non-competes for physicians, APRNs and PAs entirely.Continue Reading New Non-Compete Health Care Restrictions in Connecticut
Nevada Seeks to Ban Non-Competes with Physicians
The Nevada legislature passed new legislation recently that essentially bans all non-compete clauses in physician contracts while severely limiting the instances in which a hospital or psychiatric hospital may employ a physician as an employee, rather than as a contractor. Assembly Bill 11 was introduced in February 2023 and had passed both the Senate and Assembly by May. However, Nevada…
Continue Reading Nevada Seeks to Ban Non-Competes with PhysiciansUpcoming ACC Houston Webinar: Non-Competes in the Health Care Workplace
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mountain
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern
About the Program
Join us for a program that will dive into the issues surrounding non-competes in the health care industry. Seyfarth attorneys will engage in a lively panel discussion…
Continue Reading Upcoming ACC Houston Webinar: Non-Competes in the Health Care WorkplaceUpcoming Webinar Series! Commercial Litigation Outlook: Insights and Predictions for Litigation Trends in 2022
In the second annual installment of Seyfarth Shaw’s Commercial Litigation Outlook, our nationally-recognized team provides keen insights about what to expect in 2022. It will be a busy year that will call upon clients and their counsel to be flexible, creative, and proactive on many fronts.
As the pandemic morphs into an endemic, we are seeing overall litigation activity…
Continue Reading Upcoming Webinar Series! Commercial Litigation Outlook: Insights and Predictions for Litigation Trends in 2022
Collaborate Away: Ninth Circuit Rules that Non-Solicitation Provisions in Collaboration Agreements Are Not Per Se Violations of Federal Antitrust Law
A recent Ninth Circuit ruling in a dispute between two health care staffing agencies clarifies that non-solicitation provisions in business-to-business collaboration agreements are not per se violations of the Sherman Act. Aya Healthcare Services, Inc. v. AMN Healthcare, Inc. No. 20-55679, 2021 WL 3671384 (9th Cir. Aug. 19, 2021).
Background and District Court Proceedings
When hospitals and other health care facilities have nursing shortages, travel nurses provide a temporary solution. Health care facilities often turn to staffing agencies to recruit nurses for these assignments.
Continue Reading Collaborate Away: Ninth Circuit Rules that Non-Solicitation Provisions in Collaboration Agreements Are Not Per Se Violations of Federal Antitrust Law
Post-Pandemic Litigation Webinar Series
From court closures and the way judges conduct appearances and trials to the expected wave of lawsuits across a multitude of areas and industries, the COVID-19 outbreak is having a notable impact in the litigation space—and is expected to for quite some time.
To help navigate the litigation landscape, we are kicking off a webinar series that will take a…
Continue Reading Post-Pandemic Litigation Webinar Series