Dr. Rishi Wadhera, MD MPP MPhil

In health insurers’ race to offload unprofitable members, winners begin to emerge If you’ve followed health insurance earnings lately, you might be experiencing some whiplash. But some lessons about the industry have also emerged.

Sure seems time to examine the purpose of health insurance if this is correct: "Both Humana and CVS’ Aetna, for example, made changes last year designed to drive away 10% of their least profitable Medicare Advantage members."

www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/h...

Rishi Wadhera of @harvardmed.bsky.social speaks with JAMA Associate Editor Karen Joynt Maddox about how measures of patient care experience changed after private equity acquisition of US hospitals.

ja.ma/4hao2DC

Patient Care Deteriorates After Private Equity Acquisition of Hospitals Study supports other research showing worse outcomes after private equity acquisition

"When private equity takes over a hospital, things generally get worse for patients." -- Rishi Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, of @harvardmed.bsky.social, discussing research on private equity's impact on hospitals.
www.medpagetoday.com/hospitalbase...

Our @jama.com study leveraged a natural experiment to show that cutting SNAP benefits leads to ⬆️ food insecurity AND worse physical health.

The One Big Beautiful Bill’s deep cuts to SNAP are especially alarming.

Thanks for sharing @robcaliff.bsky.social!
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Private Equity-Backed Hospitals Appear to 'Cherry-Pick' HF Patients Acquired hospitals may be inappropriately selecting patients and doing more profitable cardiac caths.

Private equity-acquired hospitals may be cherry picking low-risk HF patients and performing more profitable cardiac catheterizations. “There’s been growing concern that…they may select for certain types of patients to maximize reimbursement," said @rkwadhera.bsky.social www.tctmd.com/news/private...

In @jaccjournals.bsky.social, we find that after private equity firms acquired hospitals, clinical risk ⬇️ & catheterizations ⬆️ among patients w/ heart failure, but outcomes didn't improve

Big thanks to @rkwadhera.bsky.social, Michael, Andrew, and Vicky!

jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.05.037

Heart Failure Care and Outcomes After Private Equity Acquisition of U.S. Hospitals:

In this national study, #heartfailure outcomes didn’t improve after private equity hospital acquisitions, despite a 📉 in the clinical risk of patients. Transfer-outs nearly doubled for Black adults with HF. www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/...

#ARM25 #JACC @danielyjohnson.bsky.social @rkwadhera.bsky.social

Hypertension, Diabetes, and High Cholesterol Awareness Among US Adults This cross-sectional study evaluated the changes in the proportion of US adults who were unaware they had hypertension, diabetes, or a high cholesterol level using 2013 to 2023 data from the National ...

Our new JAMA Cardiology study finds that many US adults don't know that they have hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol

Nearly 1 in 3 young adults w/ hypertension, 2 in 5 with diabetes, and 1 in 4 with high cholesterol are unaware of their condition.

bit.ly/45an6MC #medsky #cardiosky

Our new study in JAMA Cardiology finds that from 2013-2023, an increasing proportion of US adults were unaware that they had hypertension, especially young adults and women

Huge thanks to 🌟 mentors @rkwadhera.bsky.social and Lucas Marinacci

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

In a Cardio Business interview, Smith Ctr. for Outcomes Research Assoc. Director @rkwadhera.bsky.social discusses the rapid growth of private equity in cardiology, & the implications for quality & patient outcomes. cardiovascularbusiness.com/video/2025-0...

This BIDMC article discusses findings of a recent study published in @jama.com, bit.ly/3HhgqSN, focusing on cuts to food stamps and the link to rising food insecurity and declining health in the US. Study co-authors include HPM's Sara Bleich and Jose Figueroa (@joefigs.bsky.social).

Changes in Physical and Mental Health After the End of SNAP Emergency Allotments This cross-sectional study uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine how Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program emergency allotments impacted physical and mental heal...

Congress has proposed deep cuts to SNAP, which provides nutritional benefits to >40 million Americans

Our new @jama.com study finds that ⬇️ SNAP benefits not only ⬆️ food insecurity, but also leads to significant ⬆️ poor physical health #medsky

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

After the end of emergency allotments, there were increases in food insecurity and poor physical health days among SNAP participants.

ja.ma/43dp8ZN @rkwadhera.bsky.social

Changes in Physical and Mental Health After the End of SNAP Emergency Allotments This cross-sectional study uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine how Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program emergency allotments impacted physical and mental heal...

Congress has proposed deep cuts to SNAP, which provides nutritional benefits to >40 million Americans

Our new @jama.com study finds that ⬇️ SNAP benefits not only ⬆️ food insecurity, but also leads to significant ⬆️ poor physical health #medsky

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Insurance Coverage Among Working-Age U.S. Adults After the End of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision | Annals of Internal Medicine

Our new Annals of Internal Medicine study finds a concerning ⬆️ uninsured rates among working-age US adults after the end of the continuous enrollment provision (Medicaid "unwinding") on March 2023 #medsky

www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...
@annalsofim.bsky.social

New @nejm.org study with alarming results.

The wealthiest Americans do not live as long as the wealthiest in other countries.

In fact, mortality among the wealthiest Americans appeared to be similar to people in the poorest quartile in northern and western
Europe.

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Figure 1. Cardiometabolic Risk FActors and Cardiovascular Diseases by Age in Rural and Urban Areas, 2022

From JAMA Cardiology: Rural adults in the US have higher rates of cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular diseases compared to urban adults, with disparities largely explained by social risk factors.

#ACC25 https://ja.ma/41QUhTm

@accintouch.bsky.social

#ACC25 is just around the corner!

Our Health Policy Team will be presenting timely research on the effects of private equity acquisitions, telehealth parity policies, & the Inflation Reduction Act on cardiovascular health

Come by to check out this amazing group of trainees work! #cardiosky

Figure. Mean HbA1c Level and Glycemic Control Among Adults With a Diagnosis of Diabetes by Age and Sex, 2013-2023

The prevalence of adults with diabetes did not significantly change between 2013 and 2023, but glycemic control among those with diagnosed disease worsened between 2021 and 2023. https://ja.ma/4khkCBe

Glycemic Control Worsening Among Young Adults With Diabetes Even as diabetes prevalence held steady over past decade

"We need to ensure that our younger adult patients are coming in for their annual checkups." -- @rkwadhera.bsky.social, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, on the stark worsening of glycemic control among young adults with #diabetes over the past few years.
www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/...

Our new JAMA study finds that glycemic control worsened among US adults with diabetes in 2021-2023 following a decade of stability

This change was most pronounced in young adults (20-44 years), in whom control ⬇️ 20% (!) and HgbA1c levels ⬆️ by 1%
t.co/4Z8woN6LBB @jama.com #Cardiosky

Prevalence & Control of #Diabetes Among US Adults, 2013 to 2023

#CardioSky #MedSky
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
@jama.com @rkwadhera.bsky.social @psatishmd.bsky.social @drmonalidesai.bsky.social @dreprime.bsky.social

NIHCM Newsletter - February 2025; Title of Mini-infographic: Heart Disease is the Leading Cause of Death in the United States; Cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths have been increasing across all age groups; An individual dies from CVD every 34 seconds; By 2050, the annual health care & lost productivity costs of CVD are projected to exceed $1.8 trillion; Sources: 1.&2. American Heart Association, 2024 & 2024; 3. Dhruv S. Kazi et al., "Forecasting the Economic Burden of CVD and Stroke in the US Through 2050: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association," Circulation, 2024

February is American Heart Month. Read the #NIHCM Newsletter to learn about cardiovascular health and chronic diseases: bit.ly/4hySgAA

#HeartMonth #EmpowerHeartsToSaveLives | @americanheart.bsky.social @harvardmed.bsky.social
@rkwadhera.bsky.social @ahajournals.bsky.social

Cardiovascular Hospitalizations Among Older Adults in the US and Denmark This cross-sectional study evaluates how cardiovascular hospitalization rates compare in the US and Denmark, including differences by income level.

Cardiovascular Hospitalizations Among Older Adults in the US 🇺🇸 & Denmark 🇩🇰

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
@jama.com @rkwadhera.bsky.social @pnatarajanmd.bsky.social @load-dependent.bsky.social @anastasiasmihaili.bsky.social @mchonig.bsky.social

Changes in Patient Care Experience After Private Equity Acquisition of US Hospitals This cross-sectional study compares global patient measures to determine whether patients experienced a change in care and whether hospital communication, clinical process, and environment changed from before a hospital had been acquired to after it had been acquired by private equity firms.

Patient care experience declined significantly at hospitals acquired by private equity, raising concerns about patient satisfaction and care quality.

by Bhatla A, Bartlett VL (...) Wadhera RK et 2 al. in JAMA #MedSky

📖 read the article:

Changes in Patient Care Experience After Private Equity Acquisition of US Hospitals This cross-sectional study compares global patient measures to determine whether patients experienced a change in care and whether hospital communication, clinical process, and environment changed fro...

Patient care metrics decline significantly after private equity acquisitions

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Changes in Patient Care Experience After Private Equity Acquisition of US Hospitals This cross-sectional study compares global patient measures to determine whether patients experienced a change in care and whether hospital communication, clinical process, and environment changed fro...

"Patient-reported care experience, an important dimension of care quality, worsened after private equity acquisition of US hospitals." jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Patient Care Deteriorates After Private Equity Acquisition of Hospitals Study supports other research showing worse outcomes after private equity acquisition

Check out this @medpagetoday.bsky.social article on our @jama.com study demonstrating that patient care experience significantly worsens after private equity takes over a hospital
Study: bit.ly/40qZRuNArticle
www.medpagetoday.com/hospitalbase...

Impact of Private Equity Acquisition on Patient Care Experience in US Hospitals Private equity acquisitions of health care facilities have rapidly increased over the past decade. However, little is known about the effects of these acquisitions on patient experience. Author Rishi K. Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, of Harvard Medical School discusses this topic with JAMA Associate Editor Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH.

Rishi Wadhera of @harvardmed.bsky.social speaks with JAMA Associate Editor Karen Joynt Maddox about how measures of patient care experience changed after private equity acquisition of US hospitals.

ja.ma/4fQdOal