Health care consolidation is making it difficult for independent physicians to remain so, but Congress has power to enact measures that would help, said the chief executive of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Medical Economics reports.
The U.S. health care market, price transparency, data availability, and more were part of discussion for the Senate’s Committee on Finance this month. Last week the committee held the hearing “Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs.”
There are a number of issues to examine: consumer confusion, vertical and horizontal consolidation among insurance companies, pharmacies, and health systems, and private equity investment, Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) said in his opening statement. Committee Ranking Member Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) called for reforms to the Medicare physician payment system while preserving patient safety and improving access, especially for rural areas where hospitals have closed. Read more.
