Press Release: Advocating for a Competitive Healthcare Environment in New Hampshire
By Kevin St. James, Contributor
New Hampshire’s healthcare system faces significant challenges as large hospital systems absorb smaller practices, resulting in diminished choices, rising costs, and limited access for patients. Currently, nearly 70% of doctors are employed by hospitals or corporate entities, reflecting a troubling trend that reduces competition and drives healthcare costs higher. Since 2015, hospital prices in New Hampshire have surged by 31%.
The recent acquisition of Exeter Health Resources by Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) exemplifies this issue. Despite promises of a $375 million capital commitment and improvements for consumers, local reports indicate staff cuts and structural changes that undermine care quality. The temporary pause on these cuts following scrutiny from Executive Councilor Janet Stevens highlights the need for accountability among giants like BILH.
Additionally, unfair practices such as “facility fees” compound patient burdens without enhancing quality. New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan has been active in addressing these anti-consumer tactics, striving for price transparency that remains glaringly absent in the current system.
To remedy these issues, St. James calls for robust competition by encouraging independent healthcare providers, enforcing price transparency laws, and eliminating unnecessary fees. “Healthcare should prioritize patients, not profits,” he asserts, urging New Hampshire’s federal delegation to advocate for systemic reforms.
In conclusion, decisive action is needed to restore balance and fairness to healthcare, benefitting all Granite Staters.
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