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Oregon Lawmakers Push Bill to Curb Insurer Clinic Ownership

9/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Jeff Merkley and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, introduced the Patients Over Profits Act to stop large health insurers from owning medical clinics in Oregon.
The legislation seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest that may limit patient choices and raise costs.
Optum, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, has faced criticism for acquiring local clinics, causing provider exits and access issues.
The bill mandates insurers to divest from clinics billing Medicare and bans federal contracts with these insurers.
Oregon's Health Care Market Oversight program, initiated in 2021, aims to regulate health care consolidation, but the bill faces congressional challenges due to insurer lobbying.

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Story summary

Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Jeff Merkley and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, introduced the Patients Over Profits Act to stop large health insurers from owning medical clinics in Oregon.
The legislation seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest that may limit patient choices and raise costs.
Optum, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, has faced criticism for acquiring local clinics, causing provider exits and access issues.
The bill mandates insurers to divest from clinics billing Medicare and bans federal contracts with these insurers.
Oregon's Health Care Market Oversight program, initiated in 2021, aims to regulate health care consolidation, but the bill faces congressional challenges due to insurer lobbying.