As of Wednesday, December 14, 2011
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Albany Herald
ALBANY — With the purchase of Palmyra Park Hospital by Phoebe Hospital, Phoebe becomes a monopoly. Without competition to regulate prices, how will the public be served by this medical monopoly?
Will it come under the Public Service Commission that will allow it to make a reasonable return on its investment or, it being nonprofit, will the public be assured there is no profit?
In the past, Phoebe has been allowed to purchase real estate and show the cost as an expense instead of a capital investment. If there is no control over this procedure, it is conceivable that eventually Phoebe will own most of the real estate in Albany.
At this point, I do not believe that the combining of both hospitals can benefit the people of Southwest Georgia. A monopoly without controls is a terrible thing that was earlier outlawed by our government.
More like this story
- Appeals Court backs Palmyra purchase ( December 9, 2011 )
- Hospital Authority should bid ( May 19, 2012 )
- FTC files brief with U.S. Supreme Court ( August 21, 2012 )
- Public uneasy with purchase ( December 21, 2010 )
- Hayes seeks commissioner input ( June 6, 2012 )
Comments
McDoleHF 1 year, 5 months ago
Phoebe has been a monolopy without controls for many years in the form of Certificates of Needs. Palmyra was never allow to compete fairly with Phoebe. This is one of the reasons we are now a one Hospital town. I concur that I do not see the patient benifitting for this.
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