Folwell: Pending hospital merger bad medicine for NC consumers

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State treasurer Dale Folwell is sounding the alarm on the merger of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health.  Most of Atrium’s NC properties are in the Charlotte area. Much of Advocate Aurora’s properties are in Wisconsin.

Says Folwell:

[…] Hold onto your wallets, the Attorney General has failed the patients and taxpayers of North Carolina yet again. There is widespread evidence that mergers make hospital care less affordable and less safe.

I have deep concerns about this merger. Atrium Health is notorious for its aggressive medical debt collections and has sued more than a thousand North Carolinians, while encouraging thousands more to open medical credit cards that can charge up to 18% interest.

Further, its new partner, Advocate Aurora, is facing an antitrust lawsuit alleging anticompetitive behavior that has made health care prices higher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, than in New York City. When hospitals make health care unaffordable, patients suffer the consequences. Millions of Americans have rationed medicine, gas, food, or skipped medical treatment, sometimes at the cost of their lives. 

This is just another example of the cartel putting profits and protectionism over patients. Merry Christmas for all.  […]