Congress pushing curbs on physician-owned hospitals

The New York Times reports on efforts in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to limit the spread of hospitals that are owned by physicians. On three occasions in the last 10 months, either the House or the Senate has approved legislation that would bar doctors from referring Medicare and Medicaid patients to hospitals in which the doctors have an ownership interest. None of the proposals have gotten all the way through the legislative process.Part of the problem is that influential senators and well-connected lobbyists are advocating for exemptions for a few institutions. The special treatment has drawn criticism from conservatives who oppose restrictions on physician-owned hospitals, and liberals who favor stringent rules with no exceptions.
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