Some U.S. health care companies, including SSM Health, which owns St. Mary’s Hospital and Dean Medical Group in Madison, are planning to do something about the soaring costs of health care.
According to a release, SSM Health, Intermountain Healthcare, Trinity Health, and Ascension are in consultation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to form a new, not-for-profit generic drug company, and more health systems are expected to join in. [Note: The VA is providing no financial support for the project.]
“All Americans deserve access to high-quality, affordable care,” stated Laura Kaiser, president and CEO of St. Louis-based SSM Health, in a release. “The best way to control the rising cost of health care in the U.S. is for payers, providers, and pharmaceutical companies to work together and share responsibility in making care affordable. Until that time, initiatives such as this will foster our ability to protect patients from drug shortages and price increases that limit their ability to access the care they need.”
