Bipartisan Senators Investigate Private Equity's Influence on U.S. Health Care

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Chuck Grassley have launched a bipartisan investigation into the role of private-equity firms in the US healthcare system. The probe aims to assess the profits generated by these firms through complex financial arrangements and determine whether these deals have harmed patients and clinicians. Private-equity firms have increasingly invested in healthcare over the past decade, acquiring hospitals, nursing homes, and physician practices. Studies have shown that their involvement is associated with higher costs for patients and payers, as well as lower quality of care. The senators have requested documents and information from executives associated with hospital systems owned by private-equity firms, including Apollo Global Management and Prospect Medical Holdings.