I held my daughter in my arms as she took her last breath—her fatal injuries the result of medical malpractice in a healthcare system that prioritizes profits over safety. The experience of being unable to protect my child and being denied true justice through the legal system has left me fighting to hold corporations accountable and demanding a healthcare system that values lives over financial gains. No family should endure such preventable tragedy.
New Mexico’s healthcare system is failing its patients. Our state leads the nation in private-equity-owned hospitals, and a recent study from Harvard exposes the devastating impacts of these corporate takeovers. By slashing staff and overburdening doctors, these hospitals prevent their providers from delivering the quality of care they are trained for, resulting in a 25 percent increase in hospital-related complications and a toxic cycle of provider burnout. Instead of taking responsibility, corporate-driven healthcare blames harmed patients—like Bryanna Baker and Dominique Dupont—for the crisis their cost-cutting measures have caused.
Bryanna Baker lost two children, her ability to conceive again, and now lives with severely reduced heart function due to repeated medical negligence. Because of existing legal caps, Bryanna struggles to pay her medical bills and must rely on the solvency of the Patient Compensation Fund to cover her care. Dominique Dupont’s daughter was left with permanent spinal injuries due to malpractice during labor. Justice for Dominique came before caps on damages were enacted, but under today’s laws, families like hers would be left without the resources needed for a lifetime of intense medical care for their child.
Contrary to the misleading claims pushed by corporate-driven healthcare, the non-profit New Mexico Safety Over Profit’s latest report exposes the real story behind our healthcare crisis. Data from the American Medical Association and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration confirm that New Mexico’s provider numbers now align with national averages per capita while the whole nation faces a provider shortage. Blaming harmed patients like Bryanna or Dominique distracts from the real reasons why healthcare professionals are no longer choosing to practice medicine.
Because, private equity’s playbook is simple but devastating: “buy, strip, and flip.” These corporations purchase hospitals, load them with debt, and strip them of resources to maximize profits. At Christus St. Vincent in Santa Fe, staffing is outsourced, creating uncertainty for providers and patients. Alta Vista Regional Hospital in Las Vegas recently laid off employees, leaving communities with fewer resources. These moves are calculated—designed to boost profits, leaving patients with worse options.
Meanwhile, these corporations ask New Mexico taxpayers for hundreds of millions in subsidies, citing financial distress. Yet, according to the Legislative Finance Committee, New Mexico hospitals generated $334 million in net revenue in 2022. With such little transparency for these dollars, taxpayers have no clue if their hard earned dollars are going to support overworked providers. But we do know insurance companies and private equity firms are making record profits, but without oversight, we don’t know if taxpayer subsidies are addressing the needs of patients and healthcare workers.
Proposed reforms, such as further limiting the compensation harmed patients can receive, only shield billion-dollar corporations from accountability and do nothing to improve care or reduce harm.As someone who has lived through unimaginable loss, I know what’s at stake. If we allow corporations to continue calling the shots, more families will suffer, and the safety of every New Mexican will remain at risk. I urge readers to fight corporate disinformation, share the NMSOP report by visiting www.nmsop.org, and demand accountability. New Mexico deserves better. Together, we can demand it.
This community voices piece was provided as opinion/commentary by Ezra Spitzer, board member, New Mexico Safety Over Profit.
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