402
Opinion of the Court
Joe R. Whatley, Jr., argued the cause for respondents. With him on the brief were Charlene P. Ford and James B. Tilghman, Jr.*
Justice Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court.
In this case, we are asked to decide whether respondents can be compelled to arbitrate claims arising under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), 18 U. S. C. § 1961 et seq., notwithstanding the fact that the parties' arbitration agreements may be construed to limit the arbitrator's authority to award damages under that statute.
I
Respondents are members of a group of physicians who filed suit against managed-health-care organizations including petitioners PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc., and Pacifi-Care Operations, Inc. (collectively, PacifiCare), and United-Healthcare, Inc., and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (collectively, United). These physicians alleged that the defendants unlawfully failed to reimburse them for health-care services that they had provided to patients covered by defendants' health plans. They brought causes of action under RICO, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and federal and state prompt-pay statutes, as well as claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and in
*Briefs of amici curiae urging reversal were filed for the Chamber of Commerce of the United States by Evan M. Tager, Miriam R. Nemetz, and Robin S. Conrad; for the National Association of Manufacturers et al. by Miguel A. Estrada, Andrew S. Tulumello, Jan S. Amundson, Quentin Riegel, and Stephanie Kanwit; and for the Washington Legal Foundation by Christopher Landau, Ashley C. Parrish, Daniel J. Popeo, and Richard A. Samp.
Briefs of amici curiae urging affirmance were filed for the National Association of Consumer Advocates by Craig Jordan; for Public Citizen, Inc., by Scott L. Nelson and Brian Wolfman; and for Trial Lawyers for Public Justice by F. Paul Bland, Jr.
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