Amid a chaotic year both nationally and globally due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and follow-on effects, private equity deals in healthcare have shown impressive resilience. According to recent research and analysis, healthcare PE deals continue to outpace all other deals – both in volume and value – with the majority of activity focused on the healthcare provider space and biopharmaceutical companies. As total healthcare deal value continues to grow, this panel paused to explore critical questions about how the growth in PE-backed healthcare companies affects patients – including their health outcomes, their medical bills and their access to important health services.