Every American deserves access to affordable, comprehensive, high-quality coverage and care. Unfortunately, the growth of private equity control of important physician specialties has led to an increase in consolidated markets and surprise billing practices.
from Health Affairs Scholar looking at Medicare Part B highlights the increasing consolidation in both the anesthesia and emergency medicine markets:
- Private equity and publicly traded companies boosted their share of the anesthesia market to 19% in 2019, a sixfold increase from 2009.
- Their share of the emergency medicine market also surged over the same timeframe, jumping to 22%, nearly three times the level in 2009.
- Anesthesia and emergency medicine are the 2 specialties most linked to surprise medical bills.
Health insurance providers are committed to a robust, competitive health care market. The short-term profit-making strategy used by private equity firms acquiring these important physician specialties contrasts sharply with the expectation Americans have for safe, effective, and equitable health care.
More choices mean that you have more control over your health care. When patients and consumers have more control, you can get the care you need, when you need it 鈥� at a price you can afford. Let鈥檚 work together on solutions that improve affordability, access, and quality of care.
Read more about how private equity is contributing to higher health care costs.
Read more about what health insurance providers are doing to promote competition and lower health care costs for Americans.