The healthcare industry has no shortage of unbelievable instances where someone is just trying to make a buck. Surprisingly, there are even awards for the most egregious examples of profiteering and dysfunction.
A panel made up of health policy experts, clinicians, journalists and advocates chose the 2024 “winners” of the annual Shkreli Awards, which were released from the Lown Institute, an independent healthcare think tank.
The Guardian reported on the top 10 which included a health science center for allegedly neglecting to notify next of kin before selling body parts of deceased individuals, engaging in shady billing practices, and refusing cancer treatment to patients or demanding upfront payments—even from those with insurance.
The worst of the worst went to Steward Health Care, whose CEO, Ralph de la Torre, was accused of prioritizing private-equity profits over patient care. So much so that his financial scheming led to bankruptcy, leaving hospitals in shambles, employees laid off and communities with less healthcare access.
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