Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing about hospital consolidation, which is gaining more bipartisan criticism. While a representative from the American Hospital Association (AHA) was at the hearing to represent the work of hospitals, both Senators and testifying stakeholders made arguments that consolidation has negative impacts on patient care, depresses workers’ wages and increases health care prices. Top ideas proposed by the panelist that garnered support from Senators were site-neutral payments, physician-owned hospitals and reforming regulations. In the hearing, Senators made it clear that they are skeptical of the value that hospital consolidations add; we anticipate future legislation. Read More >>>

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