Doctor-Owned Hospitals get Life Support from Texas Lawmakers

TYLER - Some Texas lawmakers are standing up to part of the healthcare reform plan, by trying to keep physician-owned hospitals prosperous in the country, especially in Texas.

Some lawmakers in the U.S. House say doctor-owned hospitals are driving up healthcare costs, and they hurt non-profit hospitals as well, so they're trying to pass legislation as part of healthcare reform to limit physician-owned hospital's abilities and eventually stop them from continuing to operate.

Texas Spine and Joint Hospital has been in Tyler since December 2002, but it's not like many other hospitals in the area.

"All the decisions in the hospital are made by doctors," CEO Tony Wahl says.

Texas Spine and Joint is one of 67 hospitals in the state that's owned solely by doctors. Texas has the most physician-owned hospitals in the country.

That's why some Texas lawmakers are trying to delay legislation, part of health care reform, that would limit the abilities of the physician-owned hospitals.

Mr. Wahl believes this part of the reform is spurred on by lobbyists in the name of greed.

"It's a threat, really, frankly to the big-box hospitals," Mr. Wahl says.