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February 1, 2007

In a statement commenting on the Senate's Antitrust Subcommittee's release of its agenda for the 110th Congress, Health Industry Group Purchasing Association (HIGPA) President Curtis Rooney said, "The robust nature of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust's agenda is appreciated, particularly its focus on those industries that have recently received considerable attention. HIGPA shares the Subcommittee's commitment to competition and medical innovation because Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) are recognized leaders in continuing to lower costs for the nation's hospitals, medical caregivers, and patients."

"GPOs have a long and beneficial history of helping hospitals and other health care providers increase their purchasing power, reduce costs, improve efficiency and protect the quality of care by ensuring access to innovative medical devices, pharmaceuticals and other products at significantly discounted prices. We have a track record of saving the nation's health care system billions of dollars annually," said Rooney.

"The past work of the Subcommittee has moved the GPO community to form a new self-regulatory approach that resulted in the creation of the Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative (HGPII). The GPO industry, with the support of the Subcommittee, is moving in the right direction," Rooney said. "HGPII has already demonstrated its value by requiring GPOs to do business by using a code of conduct, operate in a transparent and ethical manner and post the results of Annual Public Accountability Questionnaire on the Internet. No other industry has gone this far," said Rooney.

"We look forward to providing information on how GPOs are finding new ways to improve the quality of health care and reduce costs throughout the health care supply chain to Subcommittee members, Rooney said."

The Health Industry Group Purchasing Association (HIGPA) is a broad-based trade association that represents 31 purchasing organizations. HIGPA's group purchasing industry members include for-profit and not-for-profit corporations, purchasing groups, associations, multi-hospital systems and health care provider alliances.

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