Hospitals go bankrupt, others merge, rural hospitals get couch lint

Do Not Resuscitate (This System) #348 looks at hospital financing, how private equity loots hospitals and dumps the smoking ruins onto cities and states, and the lame offers of measly assistance to rural hospitals struggling to avoid closure with pathetic payments in exchange for eliminating "unessential" services like childbirths. It's all part of how we pay trillions of dollars to make intermediaries rich and getting lousy care in exchange. 

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All my digest archives at are www.nypan.org/single-payer-news

The articles mentioned today are linked below: 

Susanna Vogel, “Steward Health Care files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy,” Healthcare Dive, May 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/4ahYIYd

Jonathan Weil, “The private-equity deal that flattened a hospital chain and its landlord,” Wall Street Journal, May 7, 2024 https://on.wsj.com/4dEcW8N

Jenna Carlesso, “Yale New Haven Health wants out of deal to buy Prospect hospitals,” CT Mirror, May 3, 2024 https://bit.ly/3wq1fly

Tina Reed, “Hospital prices paid by private insurers vary widely, report finds,” Axios, May 13, 2024 https://bit.ly/4dIBk98

Daniel Payne, “Hospitals’ new message for patients: Stay home,” Politico, May 11, 2024 https://politi.co/4dAOcOR

Caitlin Owens, “U.S. health care is increasingly like a casino,” Axios, May 12, 2024 https://bit.ly/3V072aC

Grace Vitaglione, “HCA pruned staff at Mission Hospital, reaped soaring profits, academic study finds,” Carolina Public Press/NC Health News, May 2, 2024 https://bit.ly/3yn9nUr

Michelle Crouch, “New freestanding ERs: faster care, but it can cost you,” Charlotte Ledger/NC Health News, May 13, 2024 https://bit.ly/4bHuLSL

Noam N. Levey, “Their first baby came with medical debt. These Illinois parents won’t have another,” KFF Health News/NPR, May 10, 2024 https://bit.ly/3WEKVrx

Mathew Holding Eagle III, “In money-saving move, Mahnomen hospital shutters inpatient beds, keeps outpatient and emergency care,” Minnesota Public Radio, May 1, 2024 https://bit.ly/4bwfEeU

David Dayen, “Hospital lobbyists fought to cut penalties for cybersecurity breaches,” American Prospect, Apr 18, 2024 https://bit.ly/44AWbr8   

Dave Muoio, “Nonprofit hospitals aren’t immune to FTC’s noncompete ban, lawyers, Fitch analysts warn,” Fierce Healthcare, May 2, 2024 https://bit.ly/4dLVqzk

Kristen Hwang, “An ‘impossible situation’: Why California hospitals are suing a major health insurer,” Cal Matters, Apr 23, 2024 https://bit.ly/44NSq1j

Dave Muoio, “Jefferson Health, Lehigh Valley Health Network sign definitive agreement for $14B merger,” Fierce Healthcare, May 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/3K4Of7R

Rebecca Pifer, “Walmart Health shuts down,” Healthcare Dive, Apr 30, 2024 https://bit.ly/4dGtqND