Surgeon's Record February 25, 2025
I’ve often railed against the moratorium on physician-owned hospitals (POHs) included in the Affordable Care Act. While the ACA didn’t outright ban POHs, it rendered them financially untenable by blocking Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
The move wasn’t some evidence-based policy masterstroke — legislators simply caved to lobbying pressure from hospitals and health systems. Now, 15 years later, we have more consolidation, skyrocketing healthcare prices, and a worsening doctor shortage. Who would have guessed? Apparently, not policymakers. (Workweek did an excellent job breaking it all down here).
While there is increasing talk of reviving POHs, is the debate still relevant today? Shifting healthcare trends suggest it might not be. Consider the following:
Migration to ambulatory...
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