Season 2 · Episode 6

Who Owns Medicaid?

Private equity is buying up Medicaid providers. Solo practices become aggregators become financial platforms. The system is consolidating — and nobody tracks who owns what.

Thursday, February 19, 2026|~11 min

The Medicaid system isn't just healthcare. It's becoming a financial asset class.

Key Findings

  • Top 10 providers include 3 PE-backed aggregators
  • 15+ major M&A transactions in personal care (2019-2024)
  • Aggregators operate at 12-18% margins vs 3-5% for solo providers

Data Points

Top PE-backed provider: $3.2B in Medicaid spending

Provider count stable but ownership consolidating

NPI system has no ownership tracking capability

Transcript