GAO RREPORT: Rising Physician Consolidation Increases Prices

By Health Capital Consultants, LLC

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On September 22, 2025, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report estimating “the Extent and Effects of Physician Consolidation.” The GAO, the non-partisan audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of Congress, undertook the analysis of physician consolidation in response to lawmakers’ request.

This Health Capital Topics article reviews the GAO report and stakeholder reactions. (Read more…) 

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UNHAPPY HOSPITALS: One Big Beautiful Bill Act!

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA; OBBB; BBB), or the Big Beautiful Bill, is a budget reconciliation bill in the 119th US Congress.

Hospitals are not happy with the health care provisions of the bill, which would reduce the support they receive from states to care for Medicaid enrollees and leave them with more uncompensated care costs for treating uninsured patients.

“The real-life consequences of these nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts – the largest ever proposed by Congress – will result in irreparable harm to our health care system, reducing access to care for all Americans and severely undermining the ability of hospitals and health systems to care for our most vulnerable patients,” said Rick Pollack, CEO of the American Hospital Association.

The association said it is “deeply disappointed” with the bill, even though it contains a $50 billion fund to help rural hospitals contend with the Medicaid cuts, which hospitals say is not nearly enough to make up for the shortfall.

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2 Fast 2 Furious: HHS Cuts on the Horizon

By Health Capital Consultants LLC

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During the first 90 days of the Republican Party’s government trifecta (controlling the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives), both the Trump Administration and Congress have laid the groundwork for seismic change to the U.S. healthcare industry.

In an attempt to track the latest actions of the federal government’s legislative and executive branches affecting the healthcare industry since the first installment in our February issue, this Health Capital Topics article summarizes recent events in Washington and the impact of these changes on providers and patients. (Read more…)

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CONGRESS: Increases 2024 Medicare Physician Pay

By Health Capital Consultants, LLC

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On March 9th, 2024, President Biden signed into law a $460 billion spending package to continue funding the federal government for the remainder of the 2024 fiscal year. Contained within the spending package was legislation to cut in half the 2024 Medicare physician payment update of approximately -3.4%.

This Health Capital Topics article discusses the payment update, other healthcare provisions contained in the bipartisan spending bills, and responses from stakeholders. (Read more…)

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DAILY UPDATE: “Medical Properties Trust” Tanks, FDA Approves Canadian Drugs and Medicare Advantage Health Plan [Part C] Patient Traps

By Staff Reporters

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SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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Markets: Stocks climbed a bit on Friday as investors took in the news that the US added more jobs than expected in December, capping off an epic 2023 for the labor market. But it wasn’t a bright start to the year, as all three major averages broke a nine-week winning streak. Stock spotlight: The country’s largest hospital landlord, Medical Properties Trust, tanked after revealing that its biggest tenant was $50 million behind on rent.

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Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Florida’s request to import bargain medications from the country. It’s the first state to get permission from the agency to bring in medications from Canada under a law Congress passed 20 years ago to help Americans pay less for drugs. Florida officials say ordering cheaper drugs for conditions like HIV and diabetes from Canadian wholesalers will save Medicaid and other state programs $150 million over the first year.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

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Older Americans say they feel trapped in Medicare Advantage plans.

READ HERE: http://tinyurl.com/yck2yb8z

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Americans Feel Politicians Lost Touch With Public Health Care Needs

A SURVEY-POLL

By Staff Reporters

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A recent poll of 2,510 American adults by Ipsos found:

 •  87% of Americans feel politicians have lost touch with what the public needs from their health care.
 •  86% of Americans agree that Congress should focus on cracking down on abusive health insurance practices that make it harder for people to get the care they need.
 •  71% of Americans would rather see Congress focus more on reducing the overall costs of health care coverage such as premiums, deductibles, and co-pays.

Source: Ipsos, “Americans frustrated with insurance coverage and costs,” March 1, 2022

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/publichealthservices/essentialhealthservices.html

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DICTIONARY: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Insurance-Managed-Care/dp/0826149944/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275315485&sr=1-4

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TRIFECTA Update: Markets, Covid and Congress

TOPICS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED ON THE ME-P

By Staff Reporters

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  • Markets: Omicron who? Fed tapering what? Stocks continued to roar back from their post-Thanksgiving hangover, with tech shares leading the way. The NASDAQ had its best day since March.
  • Covid: Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is less effective, but still provides some protection, against the Omicron variant, an early study from South Africa showed.
  • US Government: Congress had a busy evening. Lawmakers reached a deal to raise the country’s debt ceiling, and the House passed a $768 billion defense policy bill that increases pay for service members.
  • Citation: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

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Healthcare Reform and the US Constitution

Consider this Proposed 28th Amendment

Submitted by Cecelia T. Perez; RN

Author Unknown

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens have no idea that Congress members can retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn’t pay into Social Security, and that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment); while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. 

The Healthcare Reform Exemption

The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered … in all of its forms.  Somehow, that doesn’t seem logical.  We do not have an elite class that is above the law.  I truly don’t care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that.  It is an idea whose time has come.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:

“Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies  to the Senators and Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.”

Assessment

Each person contact a minimum of twenty people on their address list, in turn ask each of those to do  likewise. Then in three days, all people in The United States of America will have the Message. We ask you to pass this idea to your friends for their consideration.

Channel Surfing

Have you visited our other topic channels? Established to facilitate idea exchange and link our community together, the value of these topics is dependent upon your input. Please take a minute to visit. And, to prevent that annoying spam, we ask that you register. 

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com 

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Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com

Health Administration Terms: www.HealthDictionarySeries.com

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

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Sponsors Welcomed

And, credible sponsors and like-minded advertisers are always welcomed.

Link: https://healthcarefinancials.wordpress.com/2007/11/11/advertise

Hospital Non-Profit Care and Community Benefits

The IRS Sounds-Off 

Staff Reportersstk212064rke

According to the Internal Revenue Service [IRS], a survey of nearly 500 not-for-profit hospitals in 2006 revealed that 9 percent total revenues were dedicated to community benefit. The just finalized 2006 report warned that attempts to set a percentage threshold for determining compliance may have a

“disproportionate impact on hospitals, depending upon their size, where they are located their community benefit mix, and other hospital and community demographics.”

Link: http://greisguide.com/?p=1059

Definition

The current “community benefit” standard was established by the IRS in 1969 in Revenue Ruling 69-545.  The standard sets out factors to be considered in measuring community benefit, including: (i) a board made up of a broad base of community members; (ii) an open medical staff; (iii) participation in Medicare and Medicaid; (iv) application of surplus funds toward improving facilities, equipment, patient care, medical training, research, and education; and (v) a full-time emergency room open to all regardless of ability to pay (the emergency room standard applies differently to tax-exempt Long Term and Acute Care Hospitals [LTACH] that do not maintain a full array of emergency department services).  Under the current community benefit standard, individual hospitals are given flexibility to determine what services will-best serve their communities.

www.HealthDictionarySeries.com 

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Assessment

Some pundits suggest that if Congress doesn’t establish new charity care requirements, the IRS should revert to its community benefit standard last in force in 1969.

Interim Report: http://greisguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/eo_interim_hospital_report_072007.pdf

Conclusion

And so, your thoughts and comments on this Medical Executive-Post are appreciated? Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com  or Bio: www.stpub.com/pubs/authors/MARCINKO.htm

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Our Other Print Books and Related Information Sources:

Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/prod.aspx?prod_id=23759

Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com

Health Administration Terms: www.HealthDictionarySeries.com

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

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