In a scathing criticism, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders condemned Dr. Ralph de la Torre, the CEO of a bankrupt health services company, for refusing to comply with a bipartisan subpoena related to his company's insolvency. Sanders, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), accused de la Torre of being the "poster child for outrageous corporate greed" within the for-profit healthcare system.

According to Sanders, de la Torre has amassed immense wealth, surpassing $100 million, while allegedly burdening the hospitals he manages with billions in debt. Sanders claimed that the CEO sold hospital properties to real estate executives at exorbitant rates, driving these healthcare facilities into financial ruin. Steward Health Care, which owns more than 30 hospitals in eight states, was forced to declare bankruptcy with a staggering $9 billion debt.

The Senate HELP committee, consisting of 10 Republicans, voted overwhelmingly to investigate Steward Health Care's bankruptcy and issued a subpoena to de la Torre. Sanders asserted that Congress will not tolerate the CEO's refusal to testify and intends to hold him accountable for his alleged mismanagement and greed.

Adding fuel to the fire, Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, both members of the HELP committee, voiced their outrage toward de la Torre's non-compliance. They accused him of using hospitals as his personal "piggy bank" while living a life of luxury. Markey and Warren demanded answers from de la Torre and threatened to hold him in contempt if he continues to defy their summons.

In response to the subpoena, de la Torre's attorney, Alexander Merton, sent a scathing letter accusing the HELP committee members of turning the hearing into a pseudo-criminal proceeding merely to convict his client in the eyes of public opinion.

Interestingly, on the same day that the HELP Committee voted to investigate Steward and subpoena de la Torre, Senators Markey and Jayapal introduced the Health Over Wealth Act. This legislation aims to enhance the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' authority to prevent private equity firms from engaging in deals within the healthcare industry.

Previously, Senators Markey and Warren expressed concerns over the proposed sale of Steward Health Care's physician network to a private equity firm for $245 million. They argued that the influence of private equity has resulted in the closure of hospitals and adverse impacts on communities. They urged regulators to carefully scrutinize such deals to prevent any further detrimental effects.

As the investigation into Steward Health Care's bankruptcy continues, Sanders, Markey, and Warren remain determined to uncover the truth behind the alleged corporate greed that has plagued the healthcare industry. The Senate HELP committee vows to press forward aggressively to ensure de la Torre's testimony regarding the mismanagement of Steward Health Care and the financial hardships faced by hospitals and patients across the country.