On December 22, 2020, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (CHIRA), previously passed by the House on September 21. If signed by the president, CHIRA would repeal health insurers’ federal antitrust immunity under the McCarran-Ferguson Act for state regulated activity that constitutes the business of insurance. CHIRA preserves some protections … Continue Reading
On 18 June 2020, the German Parliament agreed to further rules on tightening foreign investment control by adopting the First Act on the amendment to the Foreign Trade and Payment Act (Außenwirtschaftsgesetz – AWG). The first amendment to the AWG was published in the Federal Gazette on 16 July 2020 and entered into force on … Continue Reading
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy implemented further amendments to the Foreign Trade and Payments Ordinance (Außenwirtschaftsverordnung – AWV) due to the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent the buyout of German companies active in the health care and infection protection sectors by investors from outside the EU (or EFTA). The amendment entered into … Continue Reading
On November 1, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) upheld the decision of an administrative law judge (ALJ), finding that the non-reportable acquisition of FIH Group Holdings, LLC (Freedom) by Otto Bock HealthCare North America, Inc. (Ottobock) was likely to substantially lessen competition. Ottobock and Freedom are both manufacturers of prosthetic knees, and they both … Continue Reading
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed an Executive Order to allow state agencies to join together and negotiate the purchase of prescription drugs. This measure could significantly reduce the cost of drugs and therefore will most certainly impact pharmaceutical manufacturers, managed care companies, pharmacies and other industry participants, as well as prescription drug consumers. For … Continue Reading
