The cornerstone of health information is to share and exchange data among providers, health plans, and other entities, in order to raise quality and lower health care costs.  Doing so raises antitrust concerns about what is or is not permissible under federal antitrust laws.1  Antitrust law governs the sharing of information across integrated and nonintegrated entities, and whether such activities restrain trade.2

Notably, the state of California allows groups of health care providers, purchasing groups and payers to form contracts and act as a legitimate entity within the state’s health care market.  These entities are not subject to antitrust regulations that ban collusion in the marketplace.3