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antlerstopeaks t1_je0dfnn wrote

Reply to comment by ce_confessor in Gainey is set to unveil plans to challenge the tax-exempt status of more than a dozen properties in the city, including UPMC and a Propel School on the North Side by sugarandspice85

The fact that an insurance company can own the hospital they are charging for their services is completely insane. They should be completely separate entities and in no way working together.

They essentially get to decide what they charge themselves with made up numbers to screw people over.

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Ellis4Life t1_je0fyom wrote

This was essentially Highmark’s stance when UPMC decided to get into the insurance game. Once they failed to prevent that though, they said two can play at that and founded AHN to get into the hospital game. This model has been such a detriment to the city in regards to affordability and access to care.

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ce_confessor t1_je0h5vk wrote

There are tons of problems. And my comment isn’t meant to be pro-UPMC. I’m commenting on my hesitation to support for-profit schools and hospitals. In general, their business models have always seemed a bit evil.

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ktxhopem3276 t1_je0ozao wrote

I think the issue is UPMC should be broken up into smaller pieces like separating insurance and hospitals and spinning off a few hospitals so they don’t own half the hospitals in the county. The non profit status is a deflection from the real issue of market concentration.

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AyeAyeCaptain t1_je0im8h wrote

UPMC insurance coverage/payout is horrible. The company loses money on the non-profit side because the for-profit side nickels and dimes them.

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