by am_Unition

"The omicron surge started to influence our business in early December," HCA CEO Sam Hazen said in an earnings release. "Overall, our teams continued their tremendous response, and the effects of the pandemic's ever-changing conditions were managed well as reflected in our fourth quarter financial results."

Healthcare provider profits are indicative of good care? lol

Let me spell it out: Healthcare isn't optional. This gives immense leverage to the service provider. That leverage, along with the complexity of navigating the for-profit US healthcare system, is being used to overcharge the customer, all while providing worse healthcare than in countries with socialized medicine. Fuck off with "reinvested into R&D". The shareholders expect to see a profit. People who have convinced themselves that the US system is superior or necessary are either capitalists or useful idiots for capitalists.