It’s nothing new that large community hospitals and (mostly) Democratic lawmakers would like to see physician-owned hospitals go the way of the 8-track, but an article in the New York Times emphasizes just how far some political opportunists will go:
For years, Democrats have been trying to stop the proliferation of doctor-owned hospitals, in the belief that they drive up costs by encouraging doctors to order more procedures.
Now Democrats in Congress are moving to impose new restrictions on these for-profit hospitals, but they have carved out exemptions for a few institutions represented by influential senators and well-connected lobbyists.
While it’s commendable to argue both sides of the coin — both kinds of hospitals make valid points — the arguments lose some merit when padded with such self-serving avarice as this.
Hey — most physician-owned hospitals are struggling. So where’s the money for Kansas?