Consolidation in healthcare, driven by private equity firms and large health systems, has led to higher prices for patients without improving care quality. Hospitals like St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, owned by bankrupt Steward Health Care, have squeezed costs to maximize profits. Patients like Kyunghee Lee have seen their bills skyrocket due to hospital consolidation and facility fees. Medicare pays more for treatments in hospital-owned clinics than independent offices, contributing to rising healthcare costs. Congress is considering site-neutral payment reforms to prevent this abuse and save billions in healthcare costs. Bipartisan support for reform highlights the urgent need to address hospital payment practices.
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‘Hospital consolidation’ means higher prices
