releases: https://www.merkley.senate.gov/warren-hoyle-wyden-merkley-ocasio-cortez-subramanyam-introduce-bill-to-ban-the-corporate-practice-of-medicine/
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.merkley.senate.gov/warren-hoyle-wyden-merkley-ocasio-cortez-subramanyam-introduce-bill-to-ban-the-corporate-practice-of-medicine/ | Warren, Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley, Ocasio-Cortez, Subramanyam Introduce Bill to Ban the Corporate Practice of Medicine | 2026-09-16 | 2026 | 2026-09 | Democrat | Senate | OR | Jeff Merkley | M001176 | www.merkley.senate.gov | merkley | https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ | scraper | “Patients want to know that decisions about their health are being made by their doctors, not by Wall Street investors,” said Senator Warren. “If we’re going to lower costs and un-rig the health care system, we need to stop the corporate takeover of medicine.” “Billionaire corporations are using sick patients to turn healthy profits, and Americans are fed up,” said Senator Merkley. “In Oregon, we passed one of the most comprehensive corporate practice of medicine laws in the country, standing up for patients and health care providers. It’s time we take on corporate greed in health care at the federal level by passing our Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act, cracking down on these takeovers that are destroying our health care system.” “Americans want medical decisions to stay between patients and their doctor, not dictated by corporate actors and private equity firms focused on maximizing profits,” said Senator Wyden. “I’m proud of Oregon’s pioneering state law that has been used by doctors to protect their independence, and it’s time to take that model to the federal level. Corporate medicine is making health care more expensive for everyone, and safeguards must be put in place to ensure health care decisions stay in the hands of physicians.” “80% of doctors in the U.S. are employed by corporate entities, up from 62% in 2019,” said Representative Hoyle. “Healthcare should not be a line item in a spreadsheet. The Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act will ensure proper protections are in place, so our healthcare systems serve the best interests of our patients, not corporations.” “Americans want medical decisions to stay between patients and their doctors, not dictated solely by the pursuit of maximizing profits. States have passed laws to protect the independence of physicians, and it’s time to take that model to the federal level. Corporate medicine is making health care more expensive for everyone, and safeguards must be put in place to ensure health care decisions stay in the hands of physicians,” said Representative Subramanyam. “Across the country, private equity firms and corporate conglomerates are buying up American physician offices. To increase shareholder profits, these entities often cut corners, leading to patients paying more for significantly worse care,” said Representative Ocasio-Cortez. “I’m proud to co-lead the Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act to get Wall Street out of Americans’ doctors’ offices and ban predatory noncompete agreements for healthcare workers.” “With big bipartisan majorities, Oregon passed the strongest ban on the corporate practice of medicine in the country,” Oregon House Majority Leader Ben Bowman said, the author and chief sponsor of Oregon Senate Bill 951 (2025). “Oregon has shown that it’s possible to stand up to corporate profiteering in healthcare and win. Now it’s time to take that fight nationwide.” “The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) believes that local physician ownership of their practice is the best arrangement for the physicians, the medical staff, the hospital and, most importantly, for the patient,” said Vicki Norton, MD, FAAEM, President of the AAEM. “That’s why the AAEM strongly supports The Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act of 2026. The bill would prohibit the corporate practice of medicine and allow physicians to work unencumbered, focusing on patients. There is no greater policy imperative for AAEM than protecting patient safety and quality of care in emergency departments through efforts such as this bill.” “The Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act will strengthen long-standing bans on the corporate practice of medicine, ensuring clinical decisions are made by licensed professionals sworn to care for patients, not corporations beholden to shareholders,” said Emma Freer, Senior Fellow for Health Care at the American Economic Liberties Project. “It’s an essential step toward breaking up Big Medicine, which drives costs up, quality down, and independent practitioners out of business.” “States established prohibitions against the corporate practice of medicine a century ago for a simple reason: when corporations start making medical decisions instead of doctors, everyone loses. Care gets worse and more expensive for patients, working conditions get worse for doctors and their staff, and communities lose the unique benefits of high-quality, independent care,” said Joe Van Wye, Policy Director at Coalition for Patient-Centered Care. “We commend the sponsors of the Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act for introducing today’s legislation, which will enshrine our nation’s strongest and most effective protections against the corporate practice of medicine into federal law for the benefit of all Americans, and hope it is enacted quickly.” “Across America, physician’s private practices have been bought up by shadowy corporations and private equity groups with the sole goal of profit. Putting patients first is out — monopolizing local physician services, driving up fees, and shortening hours is in. This has made life worse for Americans across the country. The Bull Moose Project has long sounded the alarm about these shady practices, such as in cancer care. The ‘‘Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act of 2026″ can halt these appalling practices once and for all by making it illegal for big corporations to vacuum up private clinics,” said Aiden Buzzetti, President, Bull Moose Project. “The Association for Independent Medicine strongly supports the Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act, and we’re grateful to Senators Warren, Wyden, and Merkley and Representatives Hoyle, Subramanyam, and Ocasio-Cortez for championing it. A prohibition is only as strong as its enforcement, and this bill backs its corporate practice of medicine prohibition with three enforcement paths: the FTC, state attorneys general suing on behalf of residents, and physicians themselves through a private right of action with treble damages. That layered enforcement, paired with mandatory divestment, is what gives this bill teeth that earlier CPOM laws have often lacked,” said Dr. Marco Fernandez, President and Co-Founder, Association for Independent Medicine. “Patients are best served when clinical decisions and practice operations remain under the control of licensed healthcare professionals, not private equity firms or management companies whose primary obligation may be to investors,” says Dr. Jill Tanzi, President of the Alliance of Independent Dentists. “The threats posed by corporate consolidation are not unique to medicine; dentists and their patients deserve these same protections. This bill’s protections against corporate control and interference are critical safeguards for both clinicians and patients, and we commend its sponsors for working to protect independent medicine.” “Private equity firms and other corporate investors should not get to decide how doctors practice medicine. When investors dictate staffing levels or how much time doctors can spend with patients, they are directing patient care. Doctors need the authority to make those decisions based on what their patients need. We support the Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act and urge Congress to put enforceable limits on corporate control of medical practices,” said Michael Fenne, Senior Policy Coordinator at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. “For too long, private corporations have overridden physicians’ clinical judgment, prioritizing shareholder returns and profits over patient care. This legislation would end that practice. Patients deserve care decisions made by clinicians, not by investors managing a portfolio. We thank Senators Warren, Wyden, and Merkley and Representatives Hoyle, Subramanyam, and Ocasio-Cortez for introducing this vital legislation and urge Congress to pass it without delay,” said Rachel Madley, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Health and Democracy “Our health care system is perfectly designed to concentrate wealth and power into corporate entities and increasingly badly designed to actually care for patients. The Oncology Practices of ONCare Alliance are dedicated to helping oncologists remain independent of private equity and other corporate structures that pull needed resources away from patient care into their profit margins,” said Barbara McAneny, Co-Chair of the OnCARE Alliance. “We strongly oppose the corporate practice of medicine and commend the sponsors of the Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act for introducing this important bill that will help doctors design our practices to make the best treatment plans with our patients.” “As doctors, we have a duty to put the needs of our patients first,” said Hugh Bassewitz, M.D., the OrthoForum. “That’s much harder when a practice is run by corporate executives focused on increasing returns for their shareholders, not by physicians focused on helping people who need us. We’re glad to see Congress acting to help doctors provide patient-centric care, and thank the sponsors for their work on this important legislation.” “This groundbreaking legislation is absolutely needed to give health providers and patients a fighting chance against corporate greed. Congress must stop private equity from ripping the copper wires out of American healthcare and put patients first. Social Security Works is proud to endorse this legislation,” said Alex Lawson, Executive Director, Social Security Works. | 1 | 2026-09-17T09:52:05Z | 2026-09-17T09:53:00Z |