Years ago I posted a story that tracked healthcare costs not to overuse or anything like that but to competition. The story mentioned a rural area of Georgia served pretty much by one conglomerate that had some of the most expensive healthcare in the country. Meanwhile Chattanooga, labeled by one doctor the buckle of the stroke belt, had many hospitals and some of the lowest costs.
Now we move up to the land of Goat, Fort Wayne. The Guardian says it is the most affordable metropolitan area in the nation, but its healthcare is in the top 10%. Guess what, one facility dominates the region
I know many of us hate anything involving laws, but I have to wonder if we can cap the percentage of doctors employed by one facility in a region? There has to be some way to force competition. A city may not be big enough for 2 major hospitals, but then why let the hospital own all (or any) of the GPs and specialists? Only those who practice only in the hospital can be directly employed by the hospital?
Now we move up to the land of Goat, Fort Wayne. The Guardian says it is the most affordable metropolitan area in the nation, but its healthcare is in the top 10%. Guess what, one facility dominates the region
‘Unlimited dollars’: how an Indiana hospital chain took over a region and jacked up prices
In the nation’s most affordable metro area, getting hurt or sick is expensive
www.theguardian.com
I know many of us hate anything involving laws, but I have to wonder if we can cap the percentage of doctors employed by one facility in a region? There has to be some way to force competition. A city may not be big enough for 2 major hospitals, but then why let the hospital own all (or any) of the GPs and specialists? Only those who practice only in the hospital can be directly employed by the hospital?