An emergency room staffing firm owned by TeamHealth has filed thousands of lawsuits against patients in Memphis in the last few years, ProPublica and MLK50 report.
Why it matters ... This is a collisionof two storylines: the aggressive billing practices of private equity-backed health care companies, and providers' decision to take patients to court to collect their medical debts.
Many 2020 Democrats' health care proposals feature aggressive price regulations, either as a feature or a byproduct — a sign that the party has largely given up on the idea that competition alone can keep costs in check.
Between the lines: It's not just Democrats. As public outrage has grown over prescription drug prices and surprise medical bills, there's been bipartisan congressional interest in regulating prices.
