The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission proposes to grant authorisation to Vision Group Holdings Limited to allow employees and ophthalmologists engaged as contractors at its clinics to discuss and agree on the fees to charge patients for ophthalmology services. The proposed authorisation would run for five years.
"Vision Group has sought authorisation because ophthalmologists operating as independent contractors at Vision Group clinics are regarded as competitors under the Trade Practices Act 1974. Therefore the sharing of price information both within and between Vision Group clinics gives rise to a risk of breaching the Act," ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said.
“However because Vision Group operates under a shared business structure where the ophthalmologists work as a team, share patient records, have common facilities, policies and procedures, the level of detriment that may result from adopting uniform prices at the clinics is likely to be limited."
The ACCC also considers that there is benefit to the public from providing consistent and predictable pricing for patients at Vision Group clinics.
The ACCC's draft determination will be available from the ACCC website (www.accc.gov.au/AuthorisationsRegister) and by following the links to this matter.
The ACCC invites submissions from interested parties in relation to the draft determination before making its final decision. Parties wishing to make submissions should do so by 25 June 2010. Please refer to the website for further information about making a submission to the ACCC.