The FTC’s position in this case implies that physicians are the primary cause of high healthcare costs for south Georgia consumers. This is nothing more than scapegoating. Rising healthcare costs can be attributedto many factorsthat have nothing to do with joint contracting activity by physicians. First and foremost, state and federal intervention in the healthcare market increase costs. According to a National Review Online article, “a recent study suggests that in some states, [government] mandates account for 40 percent of health-insurance costs.” These mandates require insurers to cover all persons who apply, many classes of diseases that require expensive treatment, and requirements that prices be based on age rather than health. All of these mandates distort the market’s ability to determine a fair price, yet the FTC has taken
no action to address these sources of consumer harm.

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