The City of Brevard has filed a lawsuit alleging that HCA Healthcare has attempted to monopolize medical services in 7 Western North Carolina counties leading to inflated prices, lower quality of care and loss of services. According to Carolina Free Press the lawsuit states, “HCA purchased Mission’s assets, in significant part, because Mission had monopoly power in the (general acute care) market in the Asheville Region — monopoly power that HCA knew it could exploit to maintain and enhance Mission’s monopoly power in the relevant markets.” The relevant markets include, Mitchell, Yancey, Madison and McDowell in our area plus Buncombe, Transylvania and Macon counties where HCA owns 70 to 90% of the counties’ acute care providers. Some of the problems include: fear that local hospitals will become just emergency rooms making most services only available in Asheville, closure in 2019 of rehab, primary care and chemotherapy services, numerous physicians leaving, understaffed units, doctors required to bill on number of patients instead of quality of care, inflated prices causing this region’s residents to have to pay 75 to 100% more for a procedure than its average cost in North Carolina.
Advent Health recently proposed a new 67 bed hospital to serve northern Buncombe, Madison and Yancey counties. SEARCH, an organization focused on the health and healthcare of the people of Mitchell and Yancey counties, has invited anyone interested in local health care to attend a get together Thursday, June 16 at 7 pm at the Burnsville Town Center. There is no charge but registration is required. Email SEARCHwnc@gmail.com.
For the complete Carolina Public Press story click here.
