Hospital in underserved community closes as investors makes millions

For the last eight months, CBS News has been investigating the collapse of hospitals serving some of our nation's most vulnerable communities. CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook takes a look at how investors are making millions while patients are being stripped of their essential health care needs.
#news #health #hospital
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[@Phoenix-in-flight]

Privatised public medicine. This explains everything about why America is sickening itself. When a government is responsible for health they are responsible to the community they receive taxes from. Corporations are accountable to nobody and cut and run whenthings are tough. Infrastructure and Health are government responsibility and not to be profited from. Sick system, sick country.

[@jadesea562]

Complicated by free-will. Health is largely affected by personal choice and in most cases health status is connected to cumulative life style choices. Free-will to destroy ones health does not lend well to government responsibility for addressing health, that is a self-defeating death spiral. Health-care is a luxury that comes from qualified practitioners providing services that address health, it is not a right and making it a right disincentivizes practical knowledge of medicine as a trade skill thus leading to "factory healthcare." People are people, humans human. If humanity is sick, it's always been and that's why intelligence is required to overcome the human condition. There is no utopia, there never has been a utopia, and life will endlessly have problems to solve.

[@thedevilsadvocate5210]

@@jadesea562 You are ready for euthanasia of course healthcare is a right

[@jackbeagle8458]

@@jadesea562 You fail to take a lot into context with your rant. You have too much faith in yourself, an unstable foundation, and are obviously a horrible person.

[@Stupidityindex]

The flaw in Christian thinking is there are actually people who depend on voting as a quality-control, & don't have any desire for leadership having one foot in fantasyland.

[@Stupidityindex]

In the land of too big to fail & endless wars, the only difference between a Republican & Democrat is how fast the knee hits the floor, when a donor walks in the room.

[@TheKittengoddess]

How about we become a universal healthcare country and close these robbers once and for all?

[@franklin9400]

Those countries have strict rules on immigration. So their systems don't get overburdened. Are you also for that?

[@TheKittengoddess]

@@franklin9400 Depends on what country you are talking about moving to if you are, say, a US citizen trying to immigrate vs an EU citizen. The US immigration system is already strict. I already believe all people should be immunized and seen at an emergency room for free no matter their immigration status. Please clarify further.

[@franklin9400]

@TheKittengoddess When I mean strict. I mean. Doesn't allow many migrants. No illegals, either. Mass deportation of undocumented as they are burdens to the system. That is how those countries maintain their system. They don't allow mass migration or any illegals.

[@beavermcdoogles]

@@TheKittengoddess u sound you’ve taken the covaids clot shot at least 4 times.

[@TheKittengoddess]

@@beavermcdoogles I have science running through my veins. Lots of books at home, too. Scary scary books.

[@oceanjoker3544]

How is this not criminal?😡🤬

[@28carter]

Medical care is a commodity here. It will never be a right. The wealthy survive.

[@optimalprimidius7295]

Red state.

[@juju-xx5xn]

It's fraud.

[@oceanjoker3544]

@@juju-xx5xn that's what I was thinking but also criminal for not treating patients! Negligent, idk!

[@ronswansonsdog2833]

@@optimalprimidius7295 👍

[@GungaLaGunga]

We don't have a healthcare system in the USA. We have greedy corporattions. Profit is all that matters.

[@nobodyspecial4702]

The primary hospital network where I live are all under a single non-profit hospital that bought out almost all the other hospitals. That non-profit hospital is owned by the largest for profit university in the area, which also happens to be the largest single land-owner in the county, owning numerous apartment complexes, retail property, rental property, etc. Funny how that non-profit hospital also has the highest rates for care. Clearly the "non-profit" income has been used to purchase god only knows how much land because they have satellite offices and urgent care centers literally blocks apart. Eventually, they'll own the entire county, if not the state.

[@garykubodera9528]

I worked in the pharmacy field for many years.. When I first started working in healthcare about 35yrs ago, almost 1/3 of all the budget was for drug purchases. Now it's very different... The real problem is when we here in the US have a for-profit healthcare, there are way too many fingers involved in the administrative processes. That's why the average health insurance coverage costs 1,000.00+ every month for a worker who is lucky enough to have the option to purchase health care. Nothing will change unless we make the change for true basic universal healthcare for all the people in this country. That way if you still want to spend your own money for whomever you want and the rest of us will not go broke and still get the basic healthcare we all need. There is a reason why the US spends 5x the cost on healthcare as those countries that provide universal healthcare for their own citizens!! Universal healthcare should be a right in this most prosperous country in the world! It might be painful to change it in the first few years but we can afford it and it would save our country billions of dollars every year if there was enough political will and demand from the citizens in the USA!! Just an observation from my experience working in the healthcare system over 35+years. 🤔

[@meahdahlgren5875]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@userunknownx]

I know my brother in law passed this last month and because of recent closures they had gaps in the ability to get his hospice medication and supplies.

[@meahdahlgren6537]

Sad

[@erinmac4750]

I know you're dealing with loss, but families like yours need to come together to sue. If Faux news can be hit, any of these companies can. What they're doing is criminal, but sadly we don't have laws that put these kinds of criminals behind bars.

[@meahdahlgren5875]

Userunknownx❤❤❤❤❤

[@meahdahlgren5875]

​@@erinmac4750❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@tbolton6156]

Once again greed, greed, greed proves to be the corporate America way. That Mr. Lee character, sounds like a modern day diabolical, fu manchu! "

[@Cyndogg085]

Not surprising!

[@Iwillroastthesocksoffyoass]

Everything is closing.

[@karenanson]

American Medical Establishment at it’s finest. 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

[@ThePapawhisky]

This is how private equity firms are designed to operate and this is the outcome that can be expected. What is your Senator and your congressperson doing to protect you from these carnivorous practices?? Nothing. Vote them out.

[@GilmerJohn]

Well, who loaned them the money to have a nearly $500 million payoff? Was their loan fraud? That's considered to be a serious crime.

[@Teknomanslade2]

Well not knowing all the details they could have gotten the loan against other properties knowing they would sell that specific hospital to pay the loan back plus equity in sale. So in other words they just took the hospital down specifically for money and not to reinvest.... which is sad but not illegal

[@bendybruce]

This is like a cautionary tale of exactly why certain types of essential services and infrastructure should not be privatized for profit.

[@SANDYMILLER23]

We need government single payer-universal health care period. A person's health SHOULD NOT BE for PROFIT!!!

[@mineown1861]

The inevitable consequence of for profit hospitals . If a Starbucks isn't maximizing the return on the investment , they shut it down regardless of those who have to travel further for their morning cup of joe. It's the one thing that everyone should be able to agree on , healthcare , but sadly that's not the case. Maximise access to healthcare or return on investments , its either one or the other . Everybody just needs to agree on which one .

[@Arulane]

We need universal healthcare Like other developed nations. We are sadly behind in all services.

[@meahdahlgren6537]

​@@Arulane right sad

[@margaretglowacki5749]

@@Arulane you are thinking of countries that are social democracies which we are not

[@butchmitch731]

...also happened in Atlanta Georgia. Similair circumstances.

[@Arulane]

An excellent piece. Why is something like that not illegal?

[@meahdahlgren6537]

Right

[@meahdahlgren5875]

Arulane❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@stephaniecorelli3034]

What's new in America

[@davediamond7228]

tell that to the republicans

[@smokindauberdoo4208]

THAT SUCKS 😢

[@joycefuller4366]

So basically a Fournier came to our country found a loophole and went for it and came out of the situation with Millions .. is the property now going to be some sort of battery / chemical disposal suite ... I am really against Fouriers buying land in America and would it be called exploiting for financial gain .. ?

[@supenskylesko]

I'm both an RN and a Pastor. Medicine has changed so much over the past 10 years or so, and not for the better. It has become money-driven in so many ways. It reminds me of Christ's words in Matthew 25:41-45, which say: "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’" .... Very important words to ponder!!!

[@ddellwo]

You’re confusing religion and government - they serve completely different purposes!

[@imperialmotoring3789]

I believe Jesus meant that you should sell all you own and give to the poor, not use the Tip of the Roman Spear to force me to pay for illegals.

[@TheKittengoddess]

The Bible also has many arbitrary laws that have nothing to do with modern medicine. Jesus was against hand washing. But I like that you are using your book to move along the agenda for positive change.

[@MartineReed]

Matthew 25:41 says “His left,” not “the left.” Please don’t try to politicize this travesty. This drops squarely in the lap of the U.S. economic system which prioritizes profits over people. It is Capitalism that creates and perpetuates poverty in our country which allows corporations to exploit the poor and underserved.

[@harrycooper5231]

To be fair, the bible also condones slavery, Leviticus 25:44 “’Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves." And what quicker way to bring back slavery than giving the poor the choice between slavery and death. The bible was also used to justify slavery in the USA pre civil war. So this behavior is *very* biblical.

[@shiftymcgee9359]

Corporate greed and lack of personal responsibility for health choices is a dangerous mix. Eat more vegetables and take up cardio because this is not getting any better any time soon.

[@Abloomingrose2]

We just had a hospital close down in Madera, CA. It was their only hospital for adults, so now patient have to travel to Fresno

[@Johnnywalleye1]

The same thing happened to Ohio valley medical center in wheeling Wv and Fairmont regional medical center in Fairmont Wv .

[@randomoverpopulatedworldid3286]

nice solution oriented piece.

[@princessjohnson8217]

Oh really wow 😮😮😮😮

[@thekaerichtexas]

Doctors make alot of money, pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies do to. The patients pay for it all and are charged ridiculous prices for care, diagnostic screens and tests, labs and prescriptions. Everyone makes a profit and wins except the patients and the community. I know it takes money to operate a hospital but there should be some kind of measures to prevent these hospitals from closing so suddenly. When the hospital starts struggling they should immediately cut the fat (meaning ceo pay, and executive pay from the top down so they can cut as much as they can without impacting patient care and services)

[@coleengoodell7523]

Health care for profit was and is a horrible idea. It's one thing to keep a business running, staffed and much needed cash flow. It's another thing for greed to be the only thing of interest in caring for the sick.

[@bookscocoaa]

Health care for all

[@sparkedinterest8403]

It is criminal just not illegal. 🤬🤬🤬

[@meahdahlgren6537]

Right

[@meahdahlgren5875]

Sparedinteres8403❤❤❤❤

[@gp7493]

#eattherich

[@designdestinyonline]

Omg 😱

[@lavalampluva55401]

Anytime you hear the term "Private Equity Investors" you know something shady is going on.

[@katherinejones8022]

We are a reprehensible species!

[@rachelkristine4669]

Well, at least it ain't the British & the NHS this time! 🤷‍♀️

[@troykeeling4490]

Nice people.

[@tommunyon2874]

Judge a party by its priorities. Let's see: " Everybody has a right to own any and all types of firearms, but we don't care whether anybody at all has access to medical care." Who does that sound like?

[@meahdahlgren6537]

Right ❤

[@GrandmaRose9000]

This is what for profit medicine looks like. Vote Medicare for all. Vote Blue!

[@ddellwo]

Yes - because life under Joe Biden’s disastrous rule has been such a trip……..🙄

[@nobodyspecial4702]

In 150 years they haven't provided it. Stop believing the lie that they ever will because they have had how many opportunities when blue controlled both the presidency and the senate? I can off hand think of at least 4 in my lifetime so it's pretty clear that they say it only to get YOU to vote for them.

[@erinmac4750]

You need a graphic for "leverage dividend recapitalization," if I even got that right. Not only should healthcare not be a for-profit enterprise, but private equity firms need to have accountability and transparency for their actions, which affect so many. Also, I have a feeling that "private equity" is a different animal from "health equity," the latter only having "equity" for a privileged few. This was an excellent piece of investigative journalism, which I hope leads to further in-depth coverage. Everyone needs to hear this. Wall Street does not belong in our hospitals! #UniversalHealthcare✊ #Bernie🔥 #CirporationsAreNotPeople

[@FM-CAgdvibes1]

Sounds like criminal greed and the least always suffer the most.

[@jackiedecoma4637]

Too confusing

[@roygbiv5164]

And people complain about socialism.

[@evecee9291]

so in other words foreigners bought the hospital then crashed it ànd stole from it - the ceo Sam needs to be drawn and quartered in the town square then all his money taken and used to re buy the hospital

[@codegeassfan4life28]

What great journalism, really is a shame people don't care for proper journalism these days, is all about tiktok videos and blissful ignorance

[@jmacks123]

👍

[@shannonbrown5913]

Of course it is the poor who end up getting shafted. What is the solution?

[@nobodyspecial4702]

Get rid of the poor. Nothing else will ever happen.

[@shannonbrown5913]

@@nobodyspecial4702 Better employment opportunities would be a start in my book.

[@nobodyspecial4702]

@@shannonbrown5913 That won't happen. Less opportunity is the future. Even old "stand by" jobs like cashiers are being eliminated.

[@shannonbrown5913]

@@nobodyspecial4702 I keep hoping the government really makes an investment in transportation and infrastructure jobs. There is great room for growth and innovation in this sector. We just are lagging behind…

[@jacobnapkins1155]

Eet the rich

[@marioalvarez734]

It's the insurance company fault they don't like to pay

[@nobodyspecial4702]

Why would the insurance want to pay a grossly elevated charge? It doesn't cost anywhere near $1200 for a saline drip, but that's what a hospital charges. It doesn't cost them $3000 to take an image, nor does it cost a doctor $516 worth of time to look at it and say "it's not a broken bone."

[@thetalkingtrees]

Be the change 🤍

[@723lion]

sad truth is this is allowed by the feds

[@meahdahlgren5875]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@dragoonseye76]

Boooo

[@SivalinPuthery]

Well, if Americans want to vote for Trump, then they are basically for voting for such a capitalistic system. Americans can't have it both ways. Grow up

[@moonshoes11]

Late stage capitalism.

[@DoctorSpicy]

Keep hiring foreign resident physicians.

[@beetoven8193]

You think this is because the CEO is ethnic?

[@elainequeens8490]

Capitalism is inhumanity, capitalism is racism.

[@beavermcdoogles]

U wuz kangz n queenz

[@tiboregoldberger6817]

🤥💩🤥💩🤥💩🤥💩🤥💩🤥💩🤥💩🤥🤥💩🤥💩🤥💩🤥💩😱😵😱😵😱😵😱🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤪😜🤪😜🤪😜🤪

[@x-men69-96]

I called The Congresswoman Marry Gay Scanlon for this issue. I live in this community. We are struggling. If the Democrat lawmaker for this 5th district can do nothing about it, vote them out.

[@writerconsidered]

Do you look at who donates to your politician? Donors are owners. Look them up at at opensecret

[@Elena-rt9yu]

The democrat? Cause the republicans are doing so much for u?

[@johnt4320]

Once again, communism proves that capitalism is worse.

[@gizzyguzzi]

Good thing Obamacare!