Two studies released yesterday in Health Affairs add to the growing body of evidence that when hospitals acquire physician practices, the cost of care goes up.
The big picture: Providers are increasingly practicing as part of hospital systems rather than independently, a trend that will likely continue to drive up U.S. health spending.
What they found: One study found that the odds of a patient receiving an inappropriate MRI referral increased by 20% after a doctor became employed by a hospital.
Most patients then received the procedure at the hospital that employed the referring doctor…
