In case you were wondering...

A Regents item last week indicated that a purchase by UCLA of (yet) a(nother) hospital was to be reviewed in closed session. The hospital in question was not named. It turned out to be the West Hills Hospital in the San Fernando Valley.

From the Bruin: UCLA Health has received approval to acquire the 260-bed West Hills Hospital and Medical Center. The proposed expansion was approved by the UC Board of Regents and will help UCLA Health mitigate issues with capacity constraints, said a UCLA Health spokesperson in an emailed statement. “This effort will help UCLA Health to immediately address the significant inpatient, emergency department and operating room capacity constraints in our health system,” the spokesperson said in the statement. “It also helps us to fulfill our commitment to enhance access to care across the region.”

The West Hills Hospital and Medical Center, located in the west San Fernando Valley, includes a staff of around 900 employees and 450 medical staff and has serviced the community for over 50 years, according to its website. It ranked on Healthgrades’ list of America’s 250 Best Hospitals in 2024...

Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2024/01/26/ucla-health-to-acquire-west-hills-hospital-and-medical-center.

One suspects that just as health insurance companies have become more concentrated - which gives them more bargaining leverage in negotiating fees - there is an incentive for providers to do the same for the same purpose.