The Lown Institute
@lowninstitute.bsky.social
The Lown Institute is a nonpartisan think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health.
Lown Senior Policy Analyst Judith Garber recently testified at the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Democrats roundtable. Check out the video at bit.ly/LownVetsHealth. Great job, Judith!
September 11, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Lown Senior Policy Analyst Judith Garber recently testified at the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Democrats roundtable. Check out the video at bit.ly/LownVetsHealth. Great job, Judith!
These hospitals alone make up nearly 20% of the nation’s fair share deficit, meaning they give back less than they receive. Imagine what they could accomplish by investing more in their communities.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
May 14, 2025 at 2:32 PM
These hospitals alone make up nearly 20% of the nation’s fair share deficit, meaning they give back less than they receive. Imagine what they could accomplish by investing more in their communities.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Nonprofit hospitals have the potential to transform their communities—if they invest back as much as they gain from tax breaks.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
May 14, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Nonprofit hospitals have the potential to transform their communities—if they invest back as much as they gain from tax breaks.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
If nonprofit hospitals put as much into their communities as they benefit from tax exemptions, they could drive meaningful and lasting change.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
May 14, 2025 at 2:31 PM
If nonprofit hospitals put as much into their communities as they benefit from tax exemptions, they could drive meaningful and lasting change.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
If every nonprofit hospital invested in their communities the same amount they receive in tax breaks, the impact could be truly transformative.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
May 14, 2025 at 2:31 PM
If every nonprofit hospital invested in their communities the same amount they receive in tax breaks, the impact could be truly transformative.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Medical debt is a big problem in America. Better financial assistance from hospitals can be part of the solution.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
May 14, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Medical debt is a big problem in America. Better financial assistance from hospitals can be part of the solution.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
We looked at more than 1,800 hospitals across 20 states to find out if hospitals are giving back as much as they take.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
May 1, 2025 at 3:39 PM
We looked at more than 1,800 hospitals across 20 states to find out if hospitals are giving back as much as they take.
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
Read the full report: lownhospitalsindex.org/report-makin...
#1 - Wreck-it Ralph: CEO follows private equity playbook to bankrupt community hospitals while pocketing plenty lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#1 - Wreck-it Ralph: CEO follows private equity playbook to bankrupt community hospitals while pocketing plenty lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#2 - Corporate healthcare behemoth exercises crushing power lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#2 - Corporate healthcare behemoth exercises crushing power lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#3 - Drug company pursues high dose of profits despite risks to patients lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#3 - Drug company pursues high dose of profits despite risks to patients lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#4 - Oncologist leaves unconscionable trail of alleged misdeeds, some of them deadly
lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#4 - Oncologist leaves unconscionable trail of alleged misdeeds, some of them deadly
lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#5 - No cash, no credit, no chemo: Private equity hospital’s passion for profits sends cancer patients packing lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#5 - No cash, no credit, no chemo: Private equity hospital’s passion for profits sends cancer patients packing lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#6 - Rivers of cash flow from apparent Medicare catheter con lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#6 - Rivers of cash flow from apparent Medicare catheter con lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#7 Emergency flight ends with $100K surprise for infant’s family lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#7 Emergency flight ends with $100K surprise for infant’s family lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#8 - Pain patients shocked by device maker’s billing practices lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#8 - Pain patients shocked by device maker’s billing practices lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#9 - Out of the mouths of babes; a taste for tongue-tie cutting intensifies lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#9 - Out of the mouths of babes; a taste for tongue-tie cutting intensifies lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
#10 - Texas medical school allegedly neglects to notify next of kin before selling body parts of deceased lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
January 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
#10 - Texas medical school allegedly neglects to notify next of kin before selling body parts of deceased lowninstitute.org/projects/202...
“We trust that our doctors make decisions based on the best available evidence but that’s not always the case,” said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute. “This type of waste in Medicare is costly, both in terms of spending, and in risk to patients.”
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
“We trust that our doctors make decisions based on the best available evidence but that’s not always the case,” said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute. “This type of waste in Medicare is costly, both in terms of spending, and in risk to patients.”
We also looked at payments from industry made to surgeons responsible for the overuse. With help from Conflixis, we found that they received $64 million for consulting, speaking fees, meals, and travel.
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
We also looked at payments from industry made to surgeons responsible for the overuse. With help from Conflixis, we found that they received $64 million for consulting, speaking fees, meals, and travel.
Hospitals in AR, KS, OK, NV, and NE had the highest average rates of overuse for vertebroplasty.
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Hospitals in AR, KS, OK, NV, and NE had the highest average rates of overuse for vertebroplasty.
Hospitals in NH, IA, MA, PA, and AL had the highest average rates of overuse for spinal fusion/laminectomy.
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Hospitals in NH, IA, MA, PA, and AL had the highest average rates of overuse for spinal fusion/laminectomy.
Rates of overuse vary widely from hospital to hospital….from less than 1% to more than 50% (basically a coin flip on whether it was needed).
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Rates of overuse vary widely from hospital to hospital….from less than 1% to more than 50% (basically a coin flip on whether it was needed).
Takeway #3: These unnecessary surgeries are costing Medicare (and taxpayers) a TON of money.
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Takeway #3: These unnecessary surgeries are costing Medicare (and taxpayers) a TON of money.
Takeaway #2: These unnecessary surgeries are happening frequently. Again, this is a limited study just looking at Medicare recipients and a few types of unnecessary back surgeries.
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Takeaway #2: These unnecessary surgeries are happening frequently. Again, this is a limited study just looking at Medicare recipients and a few types of unnecessary back surgeries.
Takeaway #1: A lot of unnecessary back surgeries are taking place. We identified over 200,000 that met criteria for overuse over a three year period, and that’s just in the Medicare population.
November 22, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Takeaway #1: A lot of unnecessary back surgeries are taking place. We identified over 200,000 that met criteria for overuse over a three year period, and that’s just in the Medicare population.