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Bill to Ban Private Equity from Owning Medical Practices

509 points · 384 comments · paimapi

  1. NegativeK · · focus · HN ↗
    Can someone steelman private equity, please? I'm honestly looking for the upsides (for non-investors) of when PE moves into an industry like medicine and begins buying up businesses that traditionally aren't already large chains.

    I already hear the downsides frequently from someone whose work is directly affected.

    1. tekla · · focus · HN ↗
      Easy. PE 99% of the time buy businesses that were already failing and provide a lifeline. A failing business can't afford to pay for expensive medical treatments without a loan that a bank will not provide since it is failing.

      People who are vehemently against PE generally do not have any idea of how the system works

      1. Tanjreeve · · focus · HN ↗
        They don't have to have an in-depth understanding of leveraged finance to get pissed off when their doctors start doubling prices or their own employment conditions get worse or their parents get treated badly in care homes because the staff are now overworked etc. they're mad at the outcomes they're overwhelmingly not actually trying to debate the merits of it from an exit liquidity perspective.
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