Hospital mergers are sold as progress—but in reality, they often come at a steep cost to patients and frontline healthcare workers.

In Allentown, PA, the recent merger between Lehigh Valley Health Network and Jefferson Health is part of a larger trend: corporate consolidation disguised as innovation.

There have been an estimated 1,887 hospital mergers between 1998 and 2021, and in 2024 alone, there were 72 mergers announced.

Research shows that hospital monopolies can drive up costs by as much as 65%, while the quality of care declines. For staff, mergers bring layoffs, stricter oversight, and a shift in culture where financial targets take priority over quality care.

In Pennsylvania alone, nearly 90% of hospital closures in the last two decades were preceded by mergers or acquisitions. The result? Communities are losing access to essential services like emergency care and maternal health.

It’s time to break the cycle of consolidation and corporate control. Better Solutions for Healthcare is fighting for reform that puts patients before profits—because no one should profit from a system that leaves vulnerable people behind.