Largest US chain of psychiatric hospitals under investigation for holding patients to increase revenue: report

According to an exclusive report by BuzzFeed News, the psychiatric chain Universal Health Services is under investigation by the FBI and the Department of Defense based on allegations that it "systematically holds patients longer than necessary to maximize revenues".

UHS is considered the largest psychiatric facility chain the country, and these bombshell allegations came to light based on claims made by two nurses during a protest at the company's headquarters.

The investigation, which began in 2013 with a Department of Health and Human Services probe, looks into whether or not UHS "directs its hospitals to hold patients for as many days as their insurer agrees to pay for, regardless of actual medical need".

According to BuzzFeed, this isn't the first time UHS has faced scrutiny for this issue. In 2012, they settled a lawsuit claiming that one of their Virginia youth facilities kept patients too long to maximize profits and that staff provoked patients "deliberately" to "warrant longer stays".