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Federal regulators launched an investigation Tuesday probing private equity firms’ investment in healthcare. The Federal Trade Commission, Justice Department and Health and Human Services Department are seeking information on the effects of private equity and other corporate investor-backed healthcare transactions, particularly those that fall under regulators’ threshold for review. (Kacik, 3/5)

Private equity firms continue to acquire physician groups at an accelerating clip, prompting closer scrutiny from state and federal lawmakers. Private equity acquisitions of physician practices grew seven-fold between 2012 and 2021, according to a peer-reviewed study from University of California, Berkeley researchers. The study, published Monday in Health Affairs, said those acquisitions have led to a concentration of private equity firms’ market share. (Kacik, 3/5)

Republicans in Congress might try to use a technical maneuver to block the Biden administration from using so-called march-in rights to seize pharmaceutical patents and lower drug prices. (Wilkerson, 3/6)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: Biden Is Right. The US Generally Pays Double That Of Other Countries For Rx Drugs

It’s well documented that Americans pay high prices for health care. But do they pay double or more for prescriptions compared with the rest of the world? President Joe Biden said they did. “If I put you on Air Force One with me, and you have a prescription — no matter what it’s for, minor or major — and I flew you to Toronto or flew to London or flew you to Brazil or flew you anywhere in the world, I can get you that prescription filled for somewhere between 40 to 60% less than it costs here,” Biden said Feb. 22 at a campaign reception in California. (Putterman, 3/6)

Home home health companies are increasingly willing to sacrifice short-term profits as they try to squeeze more favorable Medicare Advantage contracts from private insurers. Addus HomeCare, Interim Healthcare and other home health companies are refusing to accept some patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans they say pay them unfavorable rates or require lengthy prior authorizations. (Eastabrook, 3/5)

For-profit insurers led by CVS Health's Aetna are gobbling up the majority of new Medicare Advantage patients, despite new restrictions on marketing, higher medical costs and other headwinds, a new analysis of enrollment data found. (Goldman, 3/6)