FTC sues Surescripts, charges company with illegally monopolizing e-prescribing markete

In its latest move to rein in what it views as anticompetitive tactics in the healthcare industry, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against health information company Surescripts charging the company with illegally monopolizing the e-prescribing market.

The FTC alleges that the company employed “illegal vertical and horizontal restraints in order to maintain its monopolies over two e-prescribing markets: routing and eligibility.”

E-prescribing is growing rapidly as healthcare providers and payers are using the technology to process patient prescriptions in a more streamlined and cost-effective way compared to paper prescriptions. As a dominant player in the market, Surescripts has maintained at least a 95% share over many years, according to the FTC’s complaint (PDF), filed in federal court April 17 but released to the public Wednesday.