From massive insurance fraud to a dentist that intentionally broke patients’ teeth, here are this year’s worst examples of greed and dysfunction in healthcare.
BOSTON, MA – Martin Shkreli may be banned from the drug industry, but there are plenty of others competing to fill the shoes of the infamous “pharma bro.” The Lown Institute, a healthcare think tank, released the sixth edition of their Shkreli Awards, which are given each year to perpetrators of the ten most egregious examples of profiteering and dysfunction in healthcare. The “winners” are chosen with the help of a panel of judges made up of patient advocates, health policy experts, clinicians, and journalists.
“If we’re ever going to get to the great health system that Americans deserve, we have to call out bad behavior,” said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute. “The Shkreli Awards are a mirror that’s hard to look into, but we’ve got to do it. ”
2022 Lown Institute Shkreli Award Winners
- Insurers systematically overbill Medicare Advantage, siphoning billions of taxpayer money
- Private equity-backed firm runs rural hospitals into ground, leaves patients in unsafe conditions and employees without health insurance
- System keeps community hospital on life support to cash in on drug discount program meant to serve the poor
- Hospice CEO allegedly tells employees to hasten patient death to avoid caps on government reimbursements
- Pharma giant exploits bankruptcy loophole to avoid legal responsibility for cancer-causing product
- When smokers get sick, this tobacco company has the treatment
- Patients qualified for financial assistance; hospital sends them to debt collection instead
- Medical labs bilk Medicare for $300 million in elaborate bribery scheme
- “Dangerous” doctor deemed a star by hospital leadership despite disgraceful malpractice record.
- Dentist bags a bundle by breaking patients’ teeth
A complete list of winners with descriptions, sources, and judges’ comments is available at the Lown Institute website.
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Join leaders of the Lown Institute and panelists Dr. Uché Blackstock, founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, and Amy Holden Jones, creator of the medical drama “The Resident” on Tuesday, January 10 at 1 p.m. ET for a countdown and discussion of this year’s winners.
About the Lown Institute
Founded in 1973 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Bernard Lown, MD, developer of the defibrillator and cardioverter, the Lown Institute believes that a radically better system of health is possible and generates bold ideas towards that goal. The Lown Hospitals Index, a signature project of the Institute, is the first ranking to assess the social responsibility of U.S. hospitals by applying measures never used before like racial inclusivity, avoidance of overuse, and pay equity.
Contact
Aaron Toleos, Lown Institute, (978) 821-4620, atoleos@lowninstitute.org