Congresswoman Summer Lee says UPMC has 'monopoly power'

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Recently-elected Congresswoman Summer Lee and state Rep. Sara Innamorato are warning the public about what they call the harms of a monopoly on health care in the Pittsburgh area. 

A press conference held by the two on Thursday specifically mentioned UPMC, which is the largest non-government employer in Pennsylvania.

In a joint report, they say the hospital system hurts overall job growth in the state by limiting where hospital workers can work, how much they can earn and how they can advance their careers.

All of those factors lead to a drop in the quailty of patient care, they said.

"It's time we recognize we have the power to stand up for our hospital workers and our patients, and not just with bells and applause as they come out of their shifts. We owe it to our workers to use every federal, state and local tool to hold UPMC accountable," Lee said. 

The report also calls on Pennsylvania to pass legislation that would give the state attorney general more insight into hospital mergers and prevent monopolization.

A UPMC spokesperson said they're reviewing the report and "at first glance, this report uses many of the same basic data and erroneous statistical analyses that have been reported in the past and thoroughly debunked." 

Last week, UPMC also announced it would raise minimum wage to $18 an hour by 2025.