Monopolistic Mission Hospital Drives Up Healthcare Costs for Asheville Residents

The small town of Asheville, North Carolina has been struggling with skyrocketing healthcare costs. At the center of this issue is Mission Hospital, a dominant hospital system that has been accused of price gouging patients.

In 1998, the state allowed Mission Health to merge two local hospitals, creating a monopoly in Buncombe County. This deal was supposed to limit profits and spending, but 20 years later, Mission lobbied the state to drop these restrictions.

One patient, Marcelle Crago, had her meniscus removed at Mission Hospital last year, but was shocked when she received a bill for over $9,000. She eventually had the surgery done at an outpatient center not affiliated with Mission, paying less than a third of the original price.

Crago's insurance policy from UnitedHealth Group had a high deductible, making her responsible for most of the cost. Her experience is not unique - employers and employees in Asheville complain that their insurance premiums are higher due to Mission's prices.

The steady creep of healthcare costs is a top concern for U.S. voters, with nearly two-thirds worried about affording care. However, regulators have been slow to intervene, allowing hospital mergers that create monopolies to go unchecked.