U.S. Senator Chris Murphy

By Sen. Chris Murphy

Hospitals represent many things to Americans, from hope during time of illness to philanthropic organizations assisting the uninsured to a major employer within many communities.

But hospitals have also become something else: big business. In Connecticut, we are accustomed to patient care provided by nonprofit, community-oriented hospitals. That is because in Connecticut, 28 of our 29 acute-care hospitals are not-for-profit. Every dollar they make goes back into their mission and their community.

However, Connecticut is quickly becoming an anomaly. Today, one in five American hospitals are owned by for-profit entities — an astonishing 50 percent increase from a decade ago.