New poll shows widespread support for increased hospital competition
Arlington, Va. – Americans for Prosperity today released a poll conducted by YouGov showing that Americans are concerned about hospital consolidation and want lawmakers to address the problem.
Click here to view the poll questions.
- 67% of voters say they’re concerned about the growing consolidation of hospitals across the country.
- 72% say hospital consolidation creates regional monopolies that keep prices high. Just 28% believe that hospital consolidation creates efficiencies and economies of scale that keep costs low.
- 69% say that independent doctors should be reimbursed the same amount that hospital-employed doctors get.
- 48%, a plurality, think hospital consolidation is increasing the cost of health care.
“Anti-competitive policies have fueled huge hospital monopolies that are primarily responsible for the ever-increasing cost of health care,” said Charlie Katebi, senior health policy analyst at Americans for Prosperity. “Patients win when hospitals compete, and Americans want action from lawmakers to make that a reality. By allowing doctors to own hospitals, enacting site-neutral payments, and repealing burdensome certificate of need laws, we can bring down prices and expand access to quality care for everyone.”
[Read Charlie Katebi’s recent op-ed in National Review, “Let Competition Cure Hospital Monopolies.”]
The poll comes as Congress debates several bills aimed at solving hospital consolidation and injecting more competition into the space. Americans for Prosperity supports many of these reforms, including the Transparency of Hospital Billing Act, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Healthcare Act, and The Flexibility in Hospital Ownership Act.
At the state level, AFP is working to repeal certificate of need laws that that make it difficult for hospitals to add new beds, buildings, or medical equipment.
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