🦔Private equity owns 447 US hospitals. ER deaths rose 13% under PE ownership, per the Annals of Internal Medicine. Preventable adverse events jumped 25% after PE acquisition, per JAMA. Hospital assets fell an average of 24% within two years of a PE buyout, about $28 million per hospital that just disappeared. PE firms account for 7% of GDP but were behind 21% of all healthcare bankruptcies in 2024. Steward Health Care, once the largest private for-profit hospital system in the country, closed its safety net hospitals and went bankrupt. Twenty-five states have introduced 79 bills to address PE ownership of hospitals.
My Take
PE firms buy hospitals the same way they buy retail chains. Load them with debt, strip the assets, extract fees, and move on. The difference is when Eddie Bauer closes you find another jacket. When your hospital closes, the nearest ER is 45 minutes away and a stroke patient doesn't have 45 minutes.
They buy the building, sell the land underneath it in a sale-leaseback, then bill the hospital rent on property it used to own. The debt payments eat whatever revenue is left. $28 million per hospital gone in two years while ER deaths climb 13% and infections double. Federal Medicaid cuts are projected to pull roughly $1 trillion out of the system over the next decade. These hospitals already run on margins so thin that one bad quarter can force a closure. I don't know how the ones still under PE ownership survive what's coming, and the communities that depend on them don't have a backup plan.
Hedgie🤗
🦔The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association says insurers paid out nearly $1 billion more than usual from AI-assisted hospital documentation in 2024-2025. Hospitals use AI to scan records and find secondary diagnoses that human reviewers missed. More diagnoses means higher reimbursements. But treatment levels haven't gone up.
BCBSA's SVP of data science said AI is "identifying more billable conditions, not sicker patients." Insurers now deploy their own AI to deny those same claims. Patients pay for both through higher premiums.
My Take
This might be the most American healthcare story I've ever read. Hospitals bought AI to find more things to bill for. Insurers bought AI to deny those bills. The technology cost money on each end and the tab went straight to patients through higher premiums. A billion dollars moved and no one got any healthier. The only thing that changed was the size of the invoices.
Two sides of a trillion-dollar industry found a new tool to fight over the same pool of money and the person in the hospital bed pays for all of it. Premiums go up, denials go up, and the AI vendors collect from everyone. If you want to know who AI works for, stop reading the press releases and look at where the money goes. In healthcare it went straight into the billing department.
Hedgie🤗
Barack Obama at his last press briefing with reporters, 2017:
"I have enjoyed working with all of you. That does not, of course, mean that I've enjoyed every story that you have filed, but that's the point of this relationship. You're not supposed to be sycophants. You're supposed to be skeptics. You're supposed to ask me tough questions. You're not supposed to be complimentary, but you're supposed to cast a critical eye on folks who hold enormous power."
Trump’s Department of Justice just removed every single one of Trump’s pardons from their website. Too bad we saved them before they could delete them:
—George Santos, wire fraud
—Julie Chrisley, conspiracy to commit bank fraud (5 counts); bank fraud; wire fraud; conspiracy to defraud the U.S. to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Laws
—Todd Chrisley, conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud (5 counts); wire fraud; conspiracy to defraud the U.S. to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Laws
—Tina Peters, for those offenses she has or may have committed or taken part in related to election integrity and security during the period from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021
—Changpeng Zhao, failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program
—Nearly 1,600 January 6th insurrectionists: seditious conspiracy; assaulting, resisting/impeding law enforcement; destruction of government property; obstruction of an official proceeding
—Ross William Ulbricht, fraud with identification documents
—Terence Dale Sutton, Jr., murder in second degree; conspiracy; obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting
—Andrew Zabavsky, conspiracy; obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting
—Lawrence S. Duran, conspiracy to commit health care fraud; health care fraud (11 counts); conspiracy to defraud the United States and to receive and pay health care kickbacks
—Kentrell D. Gaulden, Felon in possession of a firearm
— Michael Gerard Grimm, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns
—Michael Ray Harris, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to aid and abet possession and distribution of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute cocaine
—Larry Hoover, narcotics conspiracy; continuing criminal enterprise; use of persons under age 18; distribution of cocaine; distribution of cocaine (2 counts) use of a firearm in the commission of a drug trafficking crime
—James M. Kernan, knowingly and willfully permitting a convicted felon to be engaged in the business of insurance
—Marlene Mary Kernan, permitting a convicted felon to engage in the business of insurance
—Tanner J. Mansell, theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction
—John R. Moore, Jr., theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction
—Marian I. Morgan, conspiracy to defraud the United States; wire fraud (7 counts); transfer of funds taken by fraud (5 counts)
—John G. Rowland, conspiracy to defraud the United States
—Charles Overton Scott, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud
—Alexander Sittenfeld, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds; attempted extortion under color of official right
—Earl Lamont Smith, theft of government property
—Garnett Gilbert Smith, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine
—Charles Lavar Tanner, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine
—Anabel Valenzuela, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; conspiracy to commit money laundering; criminal forfeiture (2 counts)
—Imaad Shah Zuberi, violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act; tax evasion; illegal campaign contributions; tampering with a witness, victim or informant (obstruction of justice)
—Jeremy Young Hutchinson, conspiracy to commit bribery, aiding and abetting filing of false income tax return; conspiracy; criminal forfeiture of property
—Edward Ruben Sotelo, conspiracy; continuing criminal enterprise; possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram of cocaine, aiding and abetting (2 counts); distribution of more than five kilograms of cocaine and aiding and abetting
—Joe Angelo Sotelo, conspiracy; possession with intent to distribute one kilogram of cocaine and aiding and abetting
—Brian Kelsey, conspiracy to defraud the United States
—Thomas Edward Caldwell, tampering with documents or proceedings
—Devon Archer, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud
—Benjamin Delo, violation of the Bank Secrecy Act
—Gregory Dwyer, violation of Bank Secrecy Act
—Arthur Hayes, violation of the Bank Secrecy Act
—HDR Global Trading Limited, violation of Bank Secrecy Act
—Trevor Milton, securities fraud; wire fraud (2 counts)
—Samuel Reed, violation of the Bank Secrecy Act
—Jason Galanis, conspiracy to commit securities fraud (2 counts); securities fraud; investment adviser fraud
—Ozy Media, Inc., conspiracy to commit securities fraud; conspiracy to commit wire fraud
—Carlos Roy Watson, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; aggravated identity theft
—Michele Fiore, conspiracy to commit wire fraud (6 counts); wire fraud
—Paul Walczak, willful failure to pay trust fund taxes; failure to file return/information
—Scott Howard Jenkins, conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving Federal funds, honest services mail fraud, and honest service wire fraud; honest services mail fraud; honest services wire fraud (3 counts)
—James Callahan, filing false labor union reports
—Kevin Eric Baisden, shoplifting; second degree theft; bail reform act
—Mark Bashaw, violation of lawful orders
—Joan Bell, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Coleman Boyd, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Joel Curry, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction
—Jonathan Darnel, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Caroline Davis, conspiracy to interfere with access to clinic entrances; aiding and abetting interference with access to clinic entrances Conspiracy
—Eva Edl, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction; violation of the FACE Act
—Chester Gallagher, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Herb Geraghty, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—William Goodman, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Dennis Green, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Lauren Handy, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Paula Harlow, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—John Hinshaw, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Heather Idoni, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Jean Marshall, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Christopher Moscinski, interference with freedom of access to reproductive health services
—Justin Phillips, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction
—Paul Place, violation of the FACE Act
—Jay Smith, FACE Act
—Paul Vaughn, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Bevelyn Beatty Williams, violating FACE Act
—Calvin Zastrow, conspiracy to obstruct access to clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Eva Zastrow, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction; violation of the FACE Act
—James Zastrow, violation of the FACE Act
—Rod R. Blagojevich, wire fraud under color of official right (8 counts)
—Jean Pinkard, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances
—Glen Casada, conspiracy to defraud the United States; honest services wire fraud (4 counts); use of a fictitious name to carry out a fraud
—Cade Cothren, conspiracy to defraud the United States; honest services wire fraud (6 counts)
—Robert Henry Harshbarger, Jr., introducing misbranded drugs into Interstate commerce; health care fraud
—Troy Lake, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Michael McMahon, acting as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General; conspiracy to engage in interstate stalking; stalking
—Darryl Strawberry, Sr., income tax evasion
—Michelino Sunseri, leaving the Garnet Canyon Trail to use the shortcut of the Old Climber's Trail in violation of the Superintendent's 2024 Compendium
—Joseph Lewis, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud (2 counts)
—Suzanne Kaye, Interstate Communications - Threats
—Joseph Schwartz, willful failure to pay over employment taxes; failure to file the Annual 5500 Report
—Daniel Edwin Wilson, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; possession of an unregistered firearm
—David Gentile, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; securities fraud; wire fraud (2 counts)
—Juan Orlando Hernandez, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States; possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of the cocaine importation conspiracy; conspiracy to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices
—Timothy Joseph Leiweke, conspiracy to restrain trade
—Jimmy Ray Barnett, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of amphetamine; convicted felon in possession of firearms
—Zechariah Benjamin, distribute and aid and abet the distribution of 5 grams or more of cocaine base after having been convicted of two felony drug offenses
—Angela Wannette Cupit, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Jacob Deutsch, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud
—Juan Mercado, III, conspiracy to possess, with intent to distribute, 2160.02 kilograms of marijuana; supervised release violation (conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine)
—Angela Reynolds, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Andre Donnell Routt, did knowingly and intentionally conspire, combine, confederate and agree together, with each other and with other persons to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine
—James Phillip Womack, distribution of more than five grams of actual methamphetamine
—Adriana Isabel Camberos, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud; wire fraud and aiding and abetting (7 counts)
—Andres Enrique Camberos, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud; wire fraud and aiding and abetting (7 counts)
—Danny Preston Conrad, embezzling by postal employee
—Arie Eric De Jong, III, conspiracy
—Russell John Flint, Jr., aiding and abetting the making of false Selective Service Registration Certificates
—Julio M. Herrera Velutini, honest services wire fraud (2 counts); federal program bribery (2 counts)
—Kenneth Caprist Kelly, armed bank robbery; assault during armed bank robbery; use of firearm during a crime of violence
—James Michael Klos, possession of an unregistered firearm
—David Levy, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud
—Hollie Ann Nadel, conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud
—Mark T. Rossini, federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud
—Wanda Vazquez Garced, federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud
—Terren Scott Peizer, securities fraud; insider trading (2 counts)
—Travis Henry, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine
—Timothy S. Smith, conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service
—Nathaniel Newton, Jr., conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana
—Joseph Klecko, perjury
—Jamal Lewis, use of telephone to facilitate an attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine
—Elite Diesel Service, Inc., conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Dr. Billy A. Cannon, conspiracy
—Stephen E. Buyer, securities fraud (4 counts)
—Jonathan Dean Achtemeier, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Timothy Curtis Clancy, II, Clean Air Act tampering
—Clancy Logistics Inc., Clean Air Act tampering
—Joshua L. Davis, conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Air Act
—Matthew Sidney Geouge, conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Air Act
—Jack Charles Harvard, false statement to a federally insured bank, and aiding and abetting
—Adam R. Kidan, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud; wire fraud
—John Dougherty, embezzlement of labor union assets (33 counts); wire fraud (24 counts); conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud (7 counts)
—Ryan Reginald LaLone, violation of Clean Air Act
—Wade James LaLone, violation of Clean Air Act
—Accurate Truck Service LLC, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Diesel Freak LLC, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Griffin Transportation Inc., conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Barry Kendal Pierce, Clean Air Act
—Custom Auto of Rexburg LLC, tampering with a monitoring device or method required by the Clean Air Act
—GDP Tuning LLC, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Aaron Lucas Roskin Rudolf, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Mackenzie Scott Spurlock, tampering with Clean Air Act monitoring device
—Patrick Tate Adamiak, receive and possess and unregistered firearm; unlawful possession and transfer of a machine gun
—Isaac Merrill Allen, conspiracy to tamper with Clean Air Act monitoring devices; obstruction of agency proceeding
—Spade K. Bailly, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act—Thomas Leon Brooks, Jr., manufacturing counterfeit currency
—Giovanna Campo, possession of counterfeit United States obligations
—Daniel Aaron Chase, tampering with Clean Air Act monitoring device
—Shane Cox, possession of an unregistered firearm; transfer of a firearm in violation of National Firearm Act (five counts); making a firearm in violation of National Firearm Act; engaging in business as a dealer and manufacturer of firearms
—Billi Jo Engbrecht, Bank Embezzlement
—Russell Fincher, selling ammunition to a prohibited person
—Michael Wayne Hanzuk, II, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Jessica Lynn Jacobson, conspiracy to make and utter counterfeit obligations and securities of the United States
—Christopher Paul Kaufman, Clean Air Act Tampering
—Jeremy Ryan Kettler, possession of unregistered firearm
—Eric Wayne Larson, conspiracy to distribute cocaine
—Jonathan F. Long, accessory after the fact of falsifying, tampering with, and rendering inaccurate a monitoring device required by the Clean Air Act
—Ryan Hugh Milliken, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Kyle David Offringa, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Louis Michael Olerio, Jr., money laundering conspiracy
—George Peterson, possession of an unregistered silencer
—Dustin Rhine, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—James Sisson, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Travis Turner, accessory after the fact to Clean Air Tampering
—Emory Clash Jones, conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine base
—Suzula Bidon, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; supervised release violation (conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine)
—Molly Ann Bloom, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Holly Leanne Frantzen, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Kevin Harden, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana
—Jerry Haymon, conspiracy to distribute marijuana
—Shemika Alfrida Williams, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm during a drug crime
Trump running on lower gas prices and no more foreign wars and then starting a war with Iran that literallly everyone except Pete Hegseth knew was going to be a quagmire has to be on the shortlist for dumbest political blunders in American history.
Imagine if the Iranians were doing this to the US military on Biden or Obama’s watch. Republicans would be screaming in the streets and Fox would have these images on air on a loop, 24/7
Over the past few days, I've taken the time to summarize my thoughts on the recent incidents involving agents’ misaligned behavior. We don't know with certainty what comes next, but we know where these issues originate, and this can help us plan the path forward.
Please feel free to ask your questions in the replies, and I’ll try to answer some of them in the coming weeks.
https://t.co/bvncjT0y0h
This is what happens when you’re so accustomed to the benefits of modernity - sanitation, clean food & water, low infant mortality - that you forget where it all came from, how much effort it took to build, & how bad things were before. This is the literal definition of decadence
Serious question to every mainstream news network and newspaper in this country: how can you justify crazy obsessive coverage of Hasan Piker and just totally ignore much worse stuff like this from an actual presidential adviser?
They just rescued 163 kidnapped kids in underground cages with duct tape over their mouths from a human trafficking ring in Florida and it hasn’t been on the news once because it’s 3 white maga Christian dudes that ran it. Take all the time you need with that one
Masked men stopped his car on the way home, in front of his wife and son, and sh0t him dead. His offense was voting.
Then Georgia arrested his WIDOW and charged her with his murder.
Robert Mallard. A prosperous Black farmer. Toombs County, Georgia. November 1948.
He had voted. Worse, in the county's eyes, he had done well — land, a car, a family that did not defer. A group of masked men blocked the road that night while Amy Mallard and their young son watched from inside the vehicle.
She saw faces she recognized under the masks. She named them.
But the state indicted HER for murdering her own husband.