https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/11/08/trends-in-us-hospitals-000576

Once primarily rooted in communities and run as charities, hospitals have morphed into huge businesses… and they are getting bigger. Fueled in part by an increase in revenues under the Affordable Care Act, hospitals have been expanding and merging, in some cases becoming chains of more than 100 hospitals.

And it doesn’t seem to matter if the hospitals are officially not-for-profit or for-profit… the distinction seems increasingly irrelevant. In fact, it appears that in terms of patient care, nonprofit chains are among the most profitable hospital systems in the country. Instead of paying shareholders, the nonprofits can simply plow their profits back into the hospitals in the form of new equipment, buildings or spend it on personnel… fueling even more expansion.