Lina Khan, former Federal Trade Commission chair, is poised to play a significant role in New York City under Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Her appointment on his transition team is seen as a warning to private equity firms that have been accused of monopolizing local healthcare industries and raising rents.
Private equity's aggressive business model, known as "roll-ups," involves acquiring multiple small firms and rolling them into one larger entity, giving it significant power over prices and quality. This practice has been linked to worse health outcomes, including death. Khan's work at the FTC aimed to scrutinize this practice and bring multiple suits against private equity and big tech monopolies.
While Khan's appointment may not be directly impactful in regulating roll-ups, experts believe she will use her influence as a member of Mamdani's transition team to push for greater transparency and accountability from private equity firms. One key area is disclosure: private equity firms often avoid disclosing acquisitions below a certain threshold, making it difficult for consumers to know who owns their healthcare providers.
New York City already has a robust public hospital system, which could provide a strong counterweight to private equity's influence. Additionally, Mamdani's campaign centered around making rent more affordable, and Khan's appointment is seen as directed at private equity landlords.
Loren Adler, an expert at the Brookings Institution, notes that while municipal power may be limited, there are ways for cities like New York to force transparency and create competition for private equity firms. This could include strengthening public hospital systems and resisting contracting with private equity firms for services.
For private equity firms operating in New York, Khan's appointment on Mamdani's transition team is a clear warning that their aggressive tactics will no longer be tolerated. As Kenney notes, "once you get the FTC investigating, you become more careful." With Khan on board, it's likely that New York City will take a harder line against private equity firms and prioritize the needs of local residents over profits.
Private equity's aggressive business model, known as "roll-ups," involves acquiring multiple small firms and rolling them into one larger entity, giving it significant power over prices and quality. This practice has been linked to worse health outcomes, including death. Khan's work at the FTC aimed to scrutinize this practice and bring multiple suits against private equity and big tech monopolies.
While Khan's appointment may not be directly impactful in regulating roll-ups, experts believe she will use her influence as a member of Mamdani's transition team to push for greater transparency and accountability from private equity firms. One key area is disclosure: private equity firms often avoid disclosing acquisitions below a certain threshold, making it difficult for consumers to know who owns their healthcare providers.
New York City already has a robust public hospital system, which could provide a strong counterweight to private equity's influence. Additionally, Mamdani's campaign centered around making rent more affordable, and Khan's appointment is seen as directed at private equity landlords.
Loren Adler, an expert at the Brookings Institution, notes that while municipal power may be limited, there are ways for cities like New York to force transparency and create competition for private equity firms. This could include strengthening public hospital systems and resisting contracting with private equity firms for services.
For private equity firms operating in New York, Khan's appointment on Mamdani's transition team is a clear warning that their aggressive tactics will no longer be tolerated. As Kenney notes, "once you get the FTC investigating, you become more careful." With Khan on board, it's likely that New York City will take a harder line against private equity firms and prioritize the needs of local residents over profits.