A U.S. District Court judge dismissed antitrust claims against 27 teaching hospitals and two medical organizations, asserting that the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) is "an efficient, valuable placement system."
The class-action lawsuit was brought against the NRMP and other groups in 2002 on behalf of 200,000 resident physicians in the U.S. The plaintiffs claimed that the match program consistently underpays and overworks residents. It charged that the named groups -- including the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) -- had illegally contracted and collaborated to eliminate competition in the recruitment, hiring, compensation, and employment of resident physicians.
In his opinion, Judge Paul Friedman confirmed that graduate medical matching programs did not violate antitrust laws. He also cited the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004, signed into law by President George W. Bush in April, which includes language confirming that an entity's sponsorship or use of the NRMP Match does not violate antitrust laws.
Plaintiffs' attorneys have filed an appeal of the ruling, which is pending before a U.S. Court of Appeals. That court earlier denied the NRMP's request to compel arbitration.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
August 31, 2004
Related Reading
NMRP touts high residency matches in 2004, March 22, 2004
AMA, other defendants contest NRMP lawsuit, October 14, 2002
Residents file suit against U.S. matching program, May 8, 2002
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