Press Release · Health Policy Podcast
Physician-Owned Hospitals: A Solution to Healthcare Consolidation?
Published · Featuring Katherine Hall of Paragon Health Institute
Katherine Hall of Paragon Health Institute discusses the impact of restrictions on physician-owned hospitals and the need for competition in healthcare.
Katherine Hall of Paragon Health Institute discusses the implications of physician-owned hospitals, healthcare consolidation, and the Affordable Care Act on healthcare competition in the latest episode of the Health Policy Podcast. The conversation highlights the need for policy reform to enhance competition and improve healthcare affordability.
WASHINGTON — July 28, 2026 — Katherine Hall, Research Assistant and Director of Congressional Relations at Paragon Health Institute, joined the Health Policy Podcast to discuss the impact of the Affordable Care Act on physician-owned hospitals, healthcare consolidation, and competition in the healthcare market. The episode explores the historical context of physician-owned hospitals and the restrictions imposed by the ACA, which have limited their growth and ability to compete.
Hall emphasized the significant barriers to entry for new physician-owned hospitals, stating, "It effectively meant new physician-owned hospitals could not open." The discussion highlighted that the growth of physician-owned hospitals has stagnated since the ACA was enacted, with the number remaining around 250. This stagnation has implications for healthcare competition, as Hall noted that existing physician-owned hospitals are unable to expand and compete with traditional hospital systems.
The episode also addressed the broader issue of healthcare affordability, with Hall asserting, "Healthcare affordability is a major concern right now. And central to this is hospital prices." She explained that hospital prices have risen significantly, outpacing inflation and contributing to higher costs for patients. Hall argued that allowing more physician-owned hospitals could provide an alternative to the consolidation seen in the healthcare industry, potentially leading to lower prices and improved access for patients.
Paragon Health Institute is a nonprofit health policy research organization focused on policies that empower patients. The Institute conducts research across various areas, including Medicare and Medicaid policy, private health insurance, and state health reform.
About the Health Policy Podcast
The Health Policy Podcast explores topics related to energy, infrastructure, policy, and economic growth, featuring expert guests and in-depth discussions on pressing healthcare issues.
About Paragon Health Institute
tank founded in 2021 by Brian Blase, a former health policy advisor under the Trump administration. The organization advocates for free-market solutions, increased price transparency, patient empowerment, and stricter eligibility checks in government healthcare programs.
About the Guest
Katherine Hall — Research Assistant and Director of Congressional Relations
Katherine Hall is a Research Assistant at Paragon Health Institute. Before joining Paragon, Katherine worked on supply-side health policy as an intern at the Niskanen Center. She also completed a fellowship with the Health Reformers Academy, where she studied market-based approaches to healthcare reform. Katherine holds a B.S. in Quantitative Economics with minors in Finance and American Politics from Tufts University.
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.
Related Topics
Related Episodes