Do Hospitals Undermine Healthcare Affordability?

Published July 30, 2026 · Featuring Chris Jacobs of Juniper Research Group

Chris Jacobs, founder of Juniper Research Group, discusses how hospital practices contribute to healthcare affordability issues in a recent Health Policy Podcas

Chris Jacobs, founder of Juniper Research Group, discusses critical issues surrounding healthcare affordability, market consolidation, healthcare regulation, and patient advocacy in the latest episode of the Health Policy Podcast. The conversation highlights how these factors contribute to rising healthcare costs and the challenges faced by consumers.

WASHINGTON — July 30, 2026 — Chris Jacobs, founder of Juniper Research Group, joined the Health Policy Podcast to discuss how hospitals contribute to healthcare unaffordability. The episode explores the implications of market consolidation, regulatory frameworks, and the need for patient advocacy in the current healthcare landscape.

Jacobs emphasizes that healthcare has become increasingly corporatized, leading to regional oligopolies where hospitals and insurers buy up physician practices to gain market power. "Healthcare has become much more corporatized, and so you have these regional oligopolies," Jacobs said. He notes that this consolidation results in higher costs for consumers, as hospitals often charge significantly more for services after acquiring physician practices.

The episode also addresses the medical loss ratio provision, which Jacobs describes as problematic for encouraging consolidation. "The medical loss ratio provision is a problem and that it's encouraging this kind of consolidation," he stated. He argues that the current system allows hospitals to charge more simply because they acquire physician practices, leading to inflated bills for patients. "It's absurd that hospitals can charge more just because they buy a physician practice," Jacobs added.

Juniper Research Group is a policy analysis and consulting firm specializing in healthcare issues. Founded by Chris Jacobs, the group provides insights and recommendations to improve healthcare policy and affordability.

About the Health Policy Podcast

The Health Policy Podcast focuses on the intersection of energy, infrastructure, policy, and economic growth. The show features expert guests discussing current trends and challenges in health policy.

About Juniper Research Group

Juniper Research Group is a Washington, D.C.-based policy writing, research and strategic communications firm founded by health policy expert Chris Jacobs. The firm specializes in translating complex public policy issues into clear, persuasive analysis through in-depth research, policy briefs, speeches, op-eds, books and legislative analysis. Juniper Research Group has supported organizations, policymakers and thought leaders on issues including health care, education, tax, energy and economic policy, with work that has been featured in major national publications and informed public policy debates on Capitol Hill.

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About the Guest

Chris Jacobs — Founder

Chris Jacobs, the Founder and CEO of Juniper Research Group and author of The Case Against Single Payer, has over a decade of experience in a variety of policy roles on and off Capitol Hill. He previously worked as Policy Director for America Next, a start-up think tank, and as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Heritage Foundation and the Joint Economic Committee’s Senate Republican staff. Before that, Chris worked as a Policy Advisor for the House Republican Conference under then-Chairman Mike Pence during the debate surrounding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and as a Health Policy Analyst for the Senate Republican Policy Committee during the first two years of the law’s implementation. He got his start on Capitol Hill as an intern for then-Congressman Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. While serving as Policy Director for America Next, Chris contributed to the Wall Street Journal‘s Think Tank policy blog. He has taught part-time on health policy at The American University, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and History Phi Beta Kappa.

About the Health Policy Podcast

The Health Policy Podcast hosts conversations on energy, infrastructure, policy and economic growth — interviewing the operators, regulators, and innovators powering America's grid, gas, nuclear, and industrial future. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.