Oregon congressional Democrats aim to prohibit insurers from owning medical clinics

Democratic lawmakers are pushing a federal bill that would bar large health insurers from buying or owning medical clinics — a change that could reshape Oregon communities where UnitedHealth Group’s Optum has expanded in recent years.

The measure, called the Patients Over Profits Act, aims to crack down on conflicts of interest when the same company both pays for care and owns the places that provide it. Sponsors of the bill include Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, along with Rep. Val Hoyle of Oregon and other House members.

The bill would prohibit insurance companies and their subsidiaries from owning or controlling medical providers that bill Medicare, including Medicare Advantage plans. Where those ties already exist, companies would have to divest w