FTC Staff Comment to Representative Elaine Nekritz of the Illinois General Assembly Regarding House

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20580 Office of Policy Planning Bureau of Economics Bureau of Competition Bureau of Consumer Protection May 29, 2008 Hon. Elaine Nekritz State Representative thState of Illinois – 57 District 24 South Des Plaines River Road Des Plaines, IL 60016 Dear Representative Nekritz: The staffs of the Federal Trade Commission=s Office of Policy Planning, Bureau 1of Economics, Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Bureau of Competition are pleased to respond to your invitation for comments regarding Illinois House Bill 5372 (HB 5372 2or the Bill) and the proposed regulation of retail health care facilities in Illinois. You ask whether HB 5372 “contains provisions that would be considered anticompetitive.” In particular, you express concern about the Bill’s prohibition of the location of a retail health care facility “in any store or place that provides alcohol or tobacco products for sale to the public.” Store-based health clinics – offering a small, fixed, and publicized range of basic 3health care services – have the potential to expand access to health care by making very 4basic medical care convenient and less costly. Retail clinics are often able to lower 1 This letter expresses the views of the Federal Trade Commission’s Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Economics, Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Bureau of ...