Ruling sides with Hawai'i physicians

Advertiser Staff

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld a lower court's decision favoring three Hawai'i physicians and patients advocacy groups. They were accused of breaking federal antitrust laws when they opposed a physicians' contract offered by a Mainland healthcare company.

Las Vegas-based International Healthcare Management, parent of the now defunct Health Hawai'i Network, had sued the Hawai'i Coalition for Health, the Hawai'i Medical Association and Queen's Physician Group, alleging that their opposition had cost the healthcare provider millions of dollars.

The out-of-state firm charged the groups with improperly acting as an advocate for the physicians and trying to negotiate a contract for them, which it claimed was prohibited under federal antitrust laws.

In late 2001, a federal judge dismissed the $65 million antitrust lawsuit. The appeals court has now confirmed the ruling.