Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research
CAHPR in the News
At CAHPR, we bridge the gap by transforming the knowledge gained through research into practical and actionable policies.
An Arm and a Leg
Some more things that didn’t suck in 2025
"New state laws tackle the burden of medical debt and the corporate take-over of medicine."
by Kimberly Marselas
The Economist
How to lower America’s soaring health-care costs
Meaningful opportunities to reduce U.S. health-care costs already exist but are often overshadowed by the focus on more politically prominent proposals.
Interview by Rob Lott
By Mario Aguilar
The article explains how growing consolidation among insurers, hospitals, and physician groups is driving higher prices and fewer choices for patients, while current antitrust tools struggle to keep up with these increasingly complex mergers.
The Providence Journal
It's open enrollment time in RI. How to choose between Medicare, Medicare Advantage
While Medicare Advantage offers many advantages, it also has drawbacks that should be considered
Researchers said the results suggest UnitedHealth may be sidestepping government rules meant to keep a lid on exorbitant payer profits.
Researchers found UnitedHealthcare paid 17% more to Optum than to other providers.
The trend toward investor ownership is part of a broader national shift in health-care consolidation, said Hayden Rooke-Ley, a senior fellow at Brown University’s School of Public Health. Over the last decade, large non-hospital retailers such as Amazon and Walgreens, along with insurance conglomerates, have restructured to own or manage medical practices, drug distributors and wholesalers.
The Providence Journal
A colonoscopy costs nearly eight times more at one RI hospital than another. Why?
This article quotes Brown University researchers Chris Whaley and Roslyn Murray from the CAHPR, who explain that wide hospital price differences across Rhode Island stem less from care quality and more from market consolidation. Whaley noted that “there’s really not a strong relationship between price and quality,” while Murray pointed to “empire-building tactics” and consolidation that give large health systems leverage to raise prices and obscure transparency
On October 6, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 351, aimed at limiting the involvement of private equity groups and hedge funds in health care practices.
This article discusses a Brown University study showing that commercial insurers pay nearly $1,500 more per procedure at hospital outpatient departments than at ambulatory surgical centers. The findings highlight large price variations across insurers and suggest opportunities for cost savings through selective contracting or site-neutral payment reforms.
Hospitals are discouraging infection testing to avoid Medicare penalties, a practice clinicians say jeopardizes patient safety and skews public reporting. As Brown University’s Andrew Ryan put it, “Basically, the measures are just really, really bad … this is honestly the worst” pay-for-performance program, underscoring deep flaws in how infection penalties are designed and enforced.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
Why UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage program is under attack
UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage program has come under scrutiny for allegedly exploiting diagnostic “upcoding” practices that drive billions in excess federal payments. Brown University researchers have launched Medicoding.org, a public tool that tracks how diagnostic coding in Medicare Advantage inflates payments to insurers. Health economist David Meyers explains that while some coding reflects real patient needs, much of the increase stems from insurers “gaming the system,” making beneficiaries appear sicker than they are
Republican lawmakers pressed for stricter oversight of nonprofit hospitals at a House hearing, arguing that many exploit tax exemptions while providing limited charity care. Witnesses, including Brown University’s Christopher Whaley, highlighted that current reporting structures obscure hospital-level community benefit, and urged stronger, more transparent requirements to ensure accountability.
In testimony before Congress, Brown University researcher Christopher Whaley revealed that many nonprofit hospitals reap massive financial benefits yet spend far less on community health than their tax exemptions are worth. With bipartisan concern mounting, Whaley urged reforms to ensure tax breaks translate into affordable, high-quality care for patients — not executive perks or stadium sponsorships.
This article reports on a Health Affairs study led by Brown University researchers analyzed over a decade of private equity acquisitions in opioid treatment programs across 43 states. The findings show that despite rapid growth in private equity ownership, there were no measurable improvements in methadone access, treatment expansion, or opioid-related mortality
A new Health Affairs study reveals that hundreds of urban hospitals have secured “Medicare administratively rural” status—unlocking benefits meant for rural communities. While CMS prepares to roll out its $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, the findings raise concerns about loopholes, misaligned incentives, and whether subsidizing facilities truly improves access for rural patients.
This article talks about a Health Affairs study led by researchers at CAHPR, University of Pittsburgh and the RAND Corporation on the current PE ownership of opioid treatment programs in the US. Despite acquiring large shares of the market, PE firms are not expanding access to methadone—leaving the treatment gap largely unchanged.
The Milbank Quarterly
How States Strengthened Their Health Care Markets in the 2025 Legislative Session
In the first half of 2025, states enacted numerous laws to strengthen their health care markets. These new laws address several recurring policy issues affecting states across the country, including skyrocketing health care costs, increased consolidation in the healthcare sector, and the heightened penetration of private equity in health care systems.
The proposed sale of two safety net hospitals — from private equity-backed Prospect Medical Holdings to the nonprofit Centurion Foundation — has been closely watched across the state. The Attorney General's updated terms for the sale reflect growing concern over the role of private equity in Rhode Island’s health care system.
Financial Regulation News
Study: urban hospitals are posing as rural facilities to exploit federal funds
A large number of nonprofit hospitals located in urban cities are exploiting a Medicare definition that allows them to be considered both “urban” and “rural” simultaneously, letting them tap generous benefits and reimbursement models specifically intended for rural communities.
Drugmakers are experimenting with direct-to-consumer sales in response to Trump’s push for lower drug prices, aiming to bypass traditional middlemen like PBMs. While the strategy could reshape how patients access medications, experts warn its impact on affordability, safety, and equity remains uncertain.
Traditional Medicare plan holders have typically not had to wait for prior authorization before receiving medical treatment. CMS recently announced a new program to test prior authorization requirements for certain services in six states to root out fraud, waste and abuse. Jeffrey Marr highlights what’s needed to set up a well-functioning prior authorization system.
Modern Healthcare
Rural aid loophole: Urban hospital dual status sparks concerns
Another news article speaks on a study published in Health Affairs that reveals a sharp rise in urban hospitals reclassifying themselves as "rural" under Medicare rules, allowing them to access financial benefits intended for rural health providers. Researchers warn that this loophole could redirect billions in federal funds away from genuinely rural hospitals and urge policymakers to take corrective action.
Hundreds of large, urban hospitals have taken advantage of a 2016 policy change to classify themselves as both urban and rural, allowing them to access financial benefits meant for rural hospitals. Researchers warn that this loophole could divert billions in taxpayer funds away from actual rural communities and into already well-funded urban hospitals unless policymakers intervene.
This piece, authored by Hayden Rooke-Ley, argues that while the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act threatens to gut Medicaid funding by nearly $1 trillion over a decade, states still have powerful tools to protect coverage and even strengthen their healthcare systems. By capping inflated prices in the private insurance market and redirecting those savings to Medicaid—where every dollar is federally matched—states can blunt the impact of federal cuts, support vulnerable providers, and reduce systemic inequities.
The article investigates how major drugmakers like Pfizer and Eli Lilly are paying telehealth companies millions of dollars to connect patients to providers, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and violations of anti-kickback laws. While both companies deny influencing prescriptions, lawmakers and experts worry these partnerships may steer patients toward expensive branded drugs and allow pharma firms to collect detailed patient data.
Health Justice Monitor
The Failure of Neoliberalism in Health Care
This article talks about two commentaries by Hayden Rooke-Ley that argue that neoliberal, profit-driven models of U.S. healthcare—particularly privatized Medicare and value-based payment—have failed patients by prioritizing corporate interests over access and quality of care. He calls for a shift to a publicly governed, single-payer system that removes financial conflicts of interest and restores decision-making to non-commercial entities and caregivers.
Managed Healthcare Executive
Private Equity in Healthcare: Colonoscopy Prices Soar While Care Remains the Same
This article covers a study in JAMA Health Forum finds that private equity-acquired gastroenterology practices significantly raised colonoscopy prices without any improvement in quality of care. The rise in costs was especially steep in highly consolidated markets, where prices surged by 6.7%. With no measurable gains in patient outcomes, the findings raise broader concerns about the impact of PE’s profit-driven model on healthcare affordability, transparency, and value.
This article argues that despite Massachusetts’ recent reforms after the collapse of Steward Health Care, a major loophole still allows private equity to control medical practices through shell companies and “friendly physician” arrangements. Drawing on the century-old corporate practice of medicine (CPOM) doctrine, the article calls for stronger legal restrictions like those recently passed in Oregon to protect patient care from financial interests.
This article reports on a study by Daniel R. Arnold, and colleagues who find that private equity-acquired gastroenterology practices significantly increase colonoscopy prices—by 4.5% more than independent practices—without improving care quality. Despite claims that consolidation boosts efficiency, the analysis showed no statistical difference in quality measures, raising concerns about affordability and access.
The Wall Street Journal
Lawmakers Seek to Close VA Loophole That Funnels Billions to Private Medicare Insurers
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation to stop Medicare Advantage insurers from collecting billions in federal payments for veterans who primarily receive care through the VA. Sparked by a Wall Street Journal investigation—supported by data from Brown University researchers—the bill aims to close a loophole that enabled an estimated $44 billion in excess payments from 2018 to 2021.
Global Competition Review
FTC study supports scrutiny of physician mergers, economists say
This article reports on a FTC study highlighting how roll-up acquisitions of physician practices—often led by private equity firms—can harm competition, raise prices, and reduce care quality. The study calls for increased scrutiny of serial acquisitions that fall below federal reporting thresholds, and experts say it could lead to stronger antitrust enforcement in healthcare markets.
This article discusses how financial pressures, staffing shortages, and management decisions at Wisconsin’s Group Health Cooperative have led to a unionization effort by primary care providers, reflecting broader national challenges facing independent primary care.
Modern Healthcare
States push hospital price caps to rein in spending
Several states are adopting hospital price caps to curb rising healthcare costs, citing limited success from other reforms. Supporters see savings, while hospitals warn of revenue loss and service cuts. See what CAHPR's Roslyn Murray, Ph.D. has to say.
Brown University
Yashaswini Singh Named 2025 Aspen Ideas Health Fellow
Nominated by Arnold Ventures, Dr. Singh joined over 100 global fellows in Colorado in June 2025 to explore how market forces are reshaping health care at this year’s “Payoff: Investing in Health” conference by the Aspen Institute.
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon lawmakers vote to block rising corporate ownership of medical clinics
On Wednesday, the state House passed Senate Bill 951, the latest effort to expand Oregon’s prohibitions on corporate ownership in local care providers.
This news video features Dr. Andrew Ryan, Director of CAHPR, discussing his study on Rhode Island’s hospital affordability standards, which led to significant hospital price and premium reductions—saving $1,000 per fully insured member by 2022.
Brown University
Market Power
Professors Erin Fuse Brown and Yashaswini Singh warn that private equity’s focus on short-term returns is reshaping healthcare at the expense of patients and providers. From overburdened hospitals to ethical dilemmas in mental health care, their insights expose how profit-driven ownership can undermine clinical priorities and public trust.
Rhode Island Current
Hospital price growth cap helped lower insurance premiums, Brown study shows
This article reports on a study by CAHPR researchers that found that Rhode Island’s 2010 hospital price growth cap significantly reduced hospital prices and lowered premiums for fully insured health plans by $1,000 per member annually by 2022. However, the policy had limited impact on the self-insured market due to federal ERISA regulations, and the resulting hospital revenue losses have raised concerns about financial sustainability and care quality.
The article discusses how home health care workers in Rhode Island are fighting for better wages and working conditions through unionization, but their efforts are at risk due to proposed federal Medicaid cuts. David J. Meyers, a health economist at Brown University, warns that such cuts could have a “massive, qualitative impact on people’s lives” and ultimately increase health care spending as unmet needs at home lead to more hospitalizations and emergency visits.
The article discusses Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, chair of the Brown SPH Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, and his concerns that ongoing temporary telehealth policies are stifling innovation and investment, as he urges permanent federal solutions to ensure long-term access and growth.
Las Vegas Review Journal
Bill would limit hospital fees in Nevada’s public employee health system
A Nevada bill aims to cap hospital fees for the Public Employees’ Benefits Program to reduce costs, drawing on Oregon's model, which researcher Roslyn Murray of Brown University studied and found led to significant savings without shifting costs to private insurers.
The article discusses the looming expiration of pandemic-era Medicare telehealth expansions and the ongoing policy debate over their extension, including new research by Ateev Mehrotra and Jared Perkins who suggest that lowering reimbursement rates for telehealth could make its permanent expansion more financially and politically viable.
Health Affairs Forefront
Congress Can Unlock The Full Potential Of Telehealth Through A Permanent Fix
Congress recently extended Medicare’s telehealth flexibilities until March 31, 2025, but the lack of permanent reform creates uncertainty for providers and patients. A long-term solution is needed to sustain telehealth’s benefits, ensure continued access, and drive innovation in health care.
This news article highlights the study led by Dr. Roslyn Murray on potential savings achieved by capping state employee health plans while discussing how rising health care costs are squeezing state dollars.
The Trump administration's push for deregulation threatens to accelerate vertical integration in healthcare. Brown University professor, Dr. Christopher Whaley warns from existing research how this may lead to referrals to more expensive hospitals ultimately leading to higher costs, reduced competition, and financial strain on independent hospitals, particularly in rural areas as the article discusses.
This article talks about the analysis conducted by CAHPR researchers who find that routine medical care costs four times more in New York’s outpatient hospital facilities than in doctor’s offices, largely due to added facility fees. Economist Christopher Whaley and other experts have long highlighted such pricing disparities, fueling legislative efforts like the proposed Fair Pricing Act to cap these costs.
Gloria Sachdev has spent years challenging high hospital prices in Indiana, successfully pushing for healthcare cost transparency and legislative reforms. Her efforts, have led to a national report on hospital pricing and significant policy changes in the state.
Modern Healthcare
Hospitals cry foul as public option enrollment rises
This article covers a Brown University study, published in Health Affairs, which found that the Colorado Option lowered average marketplace premiums by $101 per month since 2020, while exchange premiums nationally rose by 10%.
The article covers a study published in JAMA Health Forum by Yashaswini Singh and colleagues on the increasing affiliation of primary care physicians with hospitals and private equity firms, leading to higher patient costs without clear improvements in care quality or physician compensation.
This article talks about two conflicting studies on the Colorado Option emerged—one, funded by the insurance industry, found only 2% of plans met the 10% premium reduction goal, while another, by Brown University researchers and backed by the Commonwealth Fund, highlighted it as a model, estimating $100 lower premiums than similar states without a public option.
This article covers criticisms from Colorado’s Health Care Future, which argues that the program has failed to lower premiums, harmed competition, and reduced consumer choices, while the state cites a Brown University analysis showing it provides affordable coverage and limits premium increases driven by rising hospital and provider costs.
This article discusses a study led by Dr. Yashaswini Singh and published in JAMA Health Forum on trends in physician practice ownership, showing a significant shift from independent practices to corporate ownership, as well as the associated price increases, with hospital and PE-affiliated practices charging higher fees, and its implications for healthcare costs and quality.
This article highlights the study led by Dr. Yashaswini Singh on the growing affiliation of primary care physicians with hospitals and private equity firms along with increasing healthcare costs that come with these affiliations.
The Oregonian/OregonLive
Doctors unions, like the one on strike at Providence, are growing more common
Physicians, traditionally less unionized, are aligning with nurses and other healthcare workers due to shared grievances over understaffing, burnout, and corporate cost-cutting practices exacerbated by the pandemic. Hayden Rooke-Ley comments on this trend highlighting his study that found that the number of physician unions formed between January 2023 and May 2024 nearly equaled those established over the previous two decades (2000–2022).
Humans in Public Health Podcast
How Research Shapes Health Policy on Capitol Hill
Jared Perkins, Director of Health Policy Strategy at CAHPR discusses bridging the gap between academia and policymakers, the challenges of navigating health policy under a shifting political climate, and the importance of aligning research with legislative priorities.
A new Harvard Medical School study found that patient satisfaction declines after PE takeovers due to cost-cutting measures, including staffing reductions. Dr. Yashaswini Singh from CAHPR comments on how patient experiences are crucial to understanding the broader effects of PE in healthcare, a frequently underrated aspect in studies on PE's impact on healthcare.
The article discusses the proposed merger of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Legacy Health, which has drawn significant criticism for potentially violating federal antitrust standards. Advocates argue the merger would lead to excessive market consolidation in Oregon, controlling a majority of hospitals in key regions and potentially driving up healthcare costs without improving access or quality.
Health Leaders
Critical Access Hospitals Feel Unique Financial Strain
This article highlights a study led by Dr. Christopher Whaley that shows that while system affiliation helps improve CAHs’ financial stability, it often results in higher prices for patients.
Becker's Healthcare
Critical access hospitals face uphill battle: 6 things to know
This article explores the study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University and CAHPR at Brown University, which examines financial disparities between critical access hospitals (CAHs) and larger acute care hospitals from 2016 to 2022. The study highlights significant financial disparities, showing that system-affiliated critical access hospitals (CAHs) achieved higher operating margins than independent ones and highlights the need to balance financial sustainability with the risks of uneven care access and higher prices.
Providence Business News
Study: Hospital payment caps could save millions for state employee health plans
This news article covers the study led by CAHPR researchers who found that state employee health plans could save over $7 billion annually by capping hospital payments at 200% of Medicare rates. The findings suggest that such caps could ease budgetary pressures while minimizing disruptions to hospital operations.
The New Yorker
The Gilded Age of Medicine Is Here
This article dives into the controversial world of private equity in healthcare, where profit-driven strategies lead to higher patient costs and declining care quality. This article examines real examples, from staffing cuts to surprise billing, and explores how these changes threaten physician autonomy and the stability of U.S. healthcare.
This news article offers continued coverage on the impact of hospital payment caps and the potential for nationwide savings, based on the Health Affairs study led CAHPR researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health.
Healthcare Innovation
Hospital Payment Caps Could Safely Save Millions
This news article provides continued coverage of the study by CAHPR researchers on hospital payment caps, and it's potential for saving billions without harming hospital finances.
Health Affairs Forefront
California’s Failed Bid To Regulate Private Equity Investment In Health Care
The article examines California’s failed attempt to regulate private equity investments in healthcare through AB 3129, which proposed stricter transaction oversight and protections against corporate control of medical practices. It critiques the bill’s limited scope, exemptions, and political challenges while positioning it as a case study for future state-level reforms in addressing healthcare consolidation.
This article highlights a study by Christopher Whaley showing how hospitals have received billions in extra payments by documenting care at higher levels of complexity than expected. This practice, known as "upcoding," raises concerns about the incentives in current payment systems and their impact on rising healthcare costs.
The article written by CAHPR researchers, emphasizes the opportunity for Congress, in its final weeks of the 118th session, to advance healthcare affordability and transparency through the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (LCMT) and the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act 2.0
UnitedHealth Group's insurance arm, UnitedHealthcare, pays its own Optum physician practices significantly higher rates than other providers in the same markets, driving up costs for consumers and employers while enriching itself. This practice highlights the conflicts of interest and anti-competitive effects of vertical integration in healthcare, raising calls for regulatory intervention.
Turn on the Lights Podcast
Health system ownership with Hayden Rooke-Ley
Is Medicare Advantage improving healthcare efficiency or creating higher costs that favor insurers? Hayden Rooke-Ley explores its rapid expansion, questions about cost and care quality, and the challenges of implementing effective regulations.
The Oregonian/OregonLive
Oregon regulators plan deep dive on OHSU-Legacy merger: 6 things to know
This article outlines six key points about Oregon's regulatory review of the OHSU-Legacy merger. Hayden Rooke-Ley's critique of the OHSU-Legacy merger, emphasizing how OHSU's broad market definition may obscure significant anticompetitive risks, presenting a critical test for Oregon's Health Care Market Oversight program.
The Wall Street Journal
The Sickest Patients Are Fleeing Private Medicare Plans—Costing Taxpayers Billions
An increasing number of Medicare Advantage patients, especially those in their final year of life, are switching to traditional Medicare, leading to a significant cost shift from private insurers to taxpayers.
Portland Business Journal
OHSU-Legacy merger: Regulators explore antitrust concerns
This article examines the Oregon Health Authority's comprehensive review of the proposed merger between OHSU and Legacy Health, highlighting key concerns about market concentration, potential cost increases, and the future of health care access and competition in the region.
This article explores a study led by Brown University researchers on the billions in potentially redundant payments Medicare Advantage plans receive for veterans primarily cared for by the VA, despite industry claims, like those from UnitedHealthcare, that these payments reflect actual costs.
The Washington Post
Medicare Advantage insurers fear losing millions over a few bad phone calls
This article examines lawsuits from Medicare Advantage insurers, who claim minor customer service issues threaten millions in bonuses, while experts like Brown University's David Meyers argue that these cases reveal deeper flaws in a rating system that overstates plan quality without accurately reflecting patient care.
The American Prospect
Are Democrats Even a Little Serious About Stopping Private Equity?
The article exposes Ralph de la Torre's misuse of private equity-backed Steward Health for personal gain while highlighting the broader issue of private equity's damaging impact on healthcare, with legislative efforts for reform largely stymied by political and lobbying pressures.
This article explores how private equity firms have taken control of many U.S. emergency rooms, prioritizing profit by reducing physician hours, replacing doctors with less qualified staff, and inflating costs, resulting in compromised patient care and increased bills, despite regulatory efforts like the No Surprises Act.
Health Affairs Forefront
The Promise And Pitfalls Of Site-Neutral Payments In Medicare
As Medicare spending continues to rise, reaching 21 percent of total National Health Expenditures, policymakers are exploring site-neutral payment policies to mitigate costs without compromising care quality. This article examines the driving forces behind these policies, the bipartisan support they’ve garnered, and the challenges that lie ahead in implementing effective solutions.
This article explores the study done by Brown researchers on the imapct of Oregon's hospital payment cap and how other US states have an opportunity to implement similar control measures to achieve health savings.
Health Affairs Forefront
The Rise Of Health Care Consolidation And What To Do About It
CAHPR researchers examine the economic and healthcare implications of consolidation within the U.S. healthcare system while proposing legislative solutions aimed at curbing the adverse effects of consolidation.
Health Affairs Forefront
The FTC's Noncompete Rule: Legal Challenges And Potential Solutions For Physician Markets
The FTC's nationwide ban on non-compete agreements, originally set to take effect on September 4, 2024, is now entangled in legal battles that challenge the agency's authority. This article explores the ongoing debates, highlighting the loopholes in the current rule, and prescribes potential policy solutions.
Chicago Sun Times and KFF Health News
Medicare Advantage plans got ‘alarming’ break from the U.S. government a decade ago: Here’s why
A decade ago, CMS tried to rein in Medicare Advantage overbilling, only to withdraw amid industry pressure, now fueling a $2 billion fraud case against UnitedHealth. Newly released court documents expose the struggle to protect taxpayer dollars while navigating powerful industry pushback.
Harvard Medical School
Hospital-SNF Integration and APM Participation
This article highlights a study published in JAMA Network Open that explores the impact of hospital-SNF (skilled nursing facility) integration on participation in alternative payment models (APMs), particularly focusing on the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI-A) program. The findings reveal that while integration influences APM participation, the effects are complex, pointing to broader implications for healthcare systems.
Health Affairs Forefront
Are Changes To The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Driving Value In US Health Care?
The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is a cornerstone of U.S. healthcare policy, directly influencing how services are priced and covered. This Health Affairs blog delves into a brief analysis of the CY25 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Changes and what impact it could have moving forward.
Christopher Whaley testified before Congress, highlighting the urgent need of health care price transparency and its role in combating high healthcare costs in the US and enhancing policy decision-making.
This issue brief provides key lessons for other states interested in hospital payment caps. These include setting caps above Medicare rates but below typical state plan prices to maintain provider participation, exempting small and rural hospitals to protect vulnerable facilities, and legislating payment caps to ensure long-term stability. Oregon’s approach offers valuable insights for states seeking to control health care spending while ensuring access to care.
Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, addressed the House Committee on Ways and Means on why the U.S. is seeing a decline in private medical practices and what we can do about it.
Healthcare consolidation is fueled by the need for pricing power and financial stability under value-based care, but experts warn this trend threatens competition and transparency, calling for stronger oversight and legislative action.
The PE firm, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe has been released from the ongoing case against U.S. Anesthesia Partners, for monopolization in Texas. What does this mean for PE firms and antitrust scrutiny?
Is private equity good AND bad? Listen to experts including Dr. Yashaswini Singh talk about private equity with a nuanced approach.
This article featuring Chris Whaley delves into whether the Valley Children's Hospital's actions align with its mission and the nonprofit ethos it claims to uphold.
North Carolina Department of State Treasurer
State Treasurer Folwell Releases Report Finding North Carolina 340B Hospitals Overcharged State Employees for Cancer Drugs, Reaped Thousands of Dollars in Profits Per Claim
State Treasurer Folwell's recent report with insights from Christopher Whaley unveils startling findings: North Carolina's 340B hospitals have been overcharging the state, shedding light on critical financial discrepancies in healthcare funding.
POLITICO Pulse
FTC poised to shake up health care
Erin Fuse Brown weighs in on the potential impact of the FTC's new rules against noncompete agreements, analyzing how this significant shift could empower healthcare workers and reshape the dynamics of the industry.
Amidst a silent surge of corporate takeovers in healthcare, Yashaswini Singh offers crucial insights into how these acquisitions are quietly transforming patient care and escalating costs, often beyond the public eye.
This article discusses Oregon's successful experiment in implementing price caps on hospital services, saving $107.5 million in two years, suggesting a viable solution for states battling soaring healthcare costs.
Health Affairs Forefront
2025 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice: Small Changes, Missed Opportunities
Under the CMS 2025 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice, CAHPR researchers emphasize the expected revenue increases and minor changes in risk adjustment practices; highlighting the impactful changes on the horizon and the critical reforms that still await attention.
Health Affairs Forefront
Congress Has The Opportunity To Deliver Health Care Price Transparency
Congress has a critical opportunity to advance healthcare price transparency, a move that could empower consumers and reduce costs across the system. This article explores the current state of healthcare price transparency and the critical role Congress plays in shaping a system that prioritizes clarity and fairness for all Americans.
Rev Cycle Management, an information avenue for revenue cycle management writes on the Health Affairs study led by Brown researchers on the impact of hospital payment caps in Oregon and the health savings achieved for the state.
Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB)
Oregon lawmakers could limit corporate ownership of medical practices
Oregon bill, HB 4130, aims to impose some of the strictest limits on corporate ownership of primary care and specialty clinics, targeting the influence of large companies and private equity firms.
The American Prospect
Attack of the Straw Doctors
This article looks at how private equity firms are increasingly employing "straw doctors" to circumvent restrictions on corporate ownership of medical practices -- threatening the quality of patient care and the integrity of the medical profession.
The Washington Post
Opinion | Private equity firms are gnawing away at U.S. health care
Ashish Jha casts a critical eye on the influence of private equity in healthcare, illuminating how these acquisitions not only escalate costs but also fundamentally reshape the quality and accessibility of medical care.
Health Affairs
The Top-Ten Health Affairs Forefront Articles Of 2023
Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy & Practice, Dr. Chris Whaley's 2023 publication along with other colleagues "What’s Behind Losses At Large Nonprofit Health Systems? " gets recognized as one of the top ten most read Health Affairs Forefront articles in 2023.
Read this NPR article or listen to the All Things Considered NPR broadcast featuring Dr. David Meyers where he talks about the difficulties a beneficiary can face when enrolled in Medicare Advantage.
Yashaswini Singh and Christopher Whaley comment on the escalating presence of private equity in healthcare, exploring the compelling reasons doctors are selling their practices and the profound ripple effects this trend casts across the health care landscape.
Payer-led consolidation is understudied but a growing trend. Read Dr. Yashaswini Singh's thoughts on the corporization of healthcare.
Dr. Yashaswini Singh comments on the newly released health policy efforts by the Biden Administration on lowering drug prices and improving ownership transparency
The Brown Daily Herald
Partnerships, mergers, rebrands: Brown’s relationships with hospitals in Rhode Island
Brown and Lifespan aim to strengthen their partnership in 2024. Read here to learn more about this potential partnership.
Los Angeles Times
MLK Community Hospital says it could soon be unable to pay its bills
Dr. Chris Whaley is featured in this LA Times article, discussing the situation of the MLK Community Hospital as it faces financial turmoil and potential closure due to funding challenges
The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC)
David J. Meyers, Ph.D., Honored With the 2023 AJMC® Seema S. Sonnad Emerging Leader in Managed Care Research Award
Dr. David Meyers, Associate Director for the Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research and Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy & Practice was presented with the award to mark his contributions and mentorship in the field.
Dr. Chris Whaley along with other experts discuss strategies for greater healthcare price transparency and cost control in New Hampshire
Learn more about the global economic impact of COVID-19 vaccinations
Dr. Christopher Whaley and Erin Fuse Brown from CAHPR give their thoughts on General Catalyst, a VC firm which unusually plans to buy a health system
What is the future of private equity in US Healthcare? Read this article to see what the experts at CAHPR think.
Watch the full discussion from our launch event
A unique lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission that alleges a private equity sponsor and the company of creating a monopoly.
Straight From The Cutter's Mouth
Episode 405: Private Equity in Ophthalmology and Healthcare Costs with Drs. Ehsan Rahimy, Yashaswini Singh, and Jane Zhu
Listen to Drs. Ehsan Rahimy, Yashaswini Singh, and Jane Zhu in this podcast exploring the correlation between private equity acquisition of ophthalmology practices and a rise in healthcare expenditures
Are fully integrated Medicare Advantage plans for dual-eligible individuals delivering on their promise of improved care coordination and patient experience? Find out by reading this article featuring Dr. David Meyers.
Health Affairs Forefront
It’s Time For A New Season Of Episode-Based Payment
Dr. Ryan et al., talk about the reforming episode-based payment models to achieve savings and quality in Medicare
The New York Times
Mental Health Spending Surged During the Pandemic
CAHPR faculty Christopher Whaley explains what insurance cost increases mean for patients.
Researchers at Brown University School of Public Health in Providence found that many Medicare Advantage beneficiaries disenroll from their plans within five years of enrolling.
The Boston Globe
How Medicare can save $500 billion
Andrew Ryan and David Meyers penned this op-ed article in the Boston Globe.
Humans in Public Health Podcast
Podcast: The Values of Medicare
Professors Andy Ryan and David Meyers study the cost and value of Medicare plans across the country, including controversial and rapidly expanding Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Learn the upsides, downsides and incentives that guide these MA plans, and how reforming them could save billions of dollars every year.
Continuum Magazine
The Values of Medicare
How do we value the care of vulnerable Americans?
The New York Times
Which to Choose: Medicare or Medicare Advantage?
David Meyers, a health services researcher at Brown University, and his colleagues have been tracking differences between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage for years, using data from millions of people.
Consumer Reports
The Pros and Cons of Medicare Advantage
Explore Medicare Advantage and how it compares to Traditional Medicare.
Continuum Magazine
Medicare’s Goldilocks Problem
An Interview with Health Services, Policy and Practice Professor Andrew Ryan
At CAHPR, we bridge the gap by transforming the knowledge gained through research into practical and actionable policies.