The real reason American health care is so expensive

submitted by Huzzaz on 11/30/17 1

Hint: single-payer won’t fix America’s health care spending. Subscribe to our channel! goo.gl/0bsAjO Americans don't drive up the price by consuming more health care. They don't visit the doctor more than other developed countries: international.commonwealthfund.org/stats/annual_physician_visits/ But the price we pay for that visit - for a procedure - it costs way more: static1.squarespace.com/static/518a3cfee4b0a77d03a62c98/t/57d3ca9529687f1a257e9e26/1473497751062/2015+Comparative+Price+Report+09.09.16.pdf The price you pay for the same procedure, at the same hospital, may vary enormously depending on what kind of health insurance you have in the US. That's because of bargaining power. Government programs, like Medicare and Medicaid, can ask for a lower price from health service providers because they have the numbers: the hospital has to comply or else risk losing the business of millions of Americans. There are dozens of private health insurance providers in the United States and they each need to bargain for prices with hospitals and doctors. The numbers of people private insurances represent are much less than the government programs. That means a higher price when you go to the doctor or fill a prescription. Uninsured individuals have the least bargaining power. Without any insurance, you will pay the highest price. For more health care policy content, check out The Impact, a podcast about the human consequences of policy-making. itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-impact/id1294325824?mt=2 Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out www.vox.com to get up to speed on everything from Kurdistan to the Kim Kardashian app. Check out our full video catalog: goo.gl/IZONyE Follow Vox on Twitter: goo.gl/XFrZ5H Or on Facebook: goo.gl/U2g06o

Leave a comment

Be the first to comment

Be the first to
collect this video
cover photo
Email
Message
×
Embed video on a website or blog
Width
px
Height
px
×
Join Huzzaz
Start collecting all your favorite videos
×
Log in
Join Huzzaz

facebook login
×
Retrieve username and password
Name
Enter your email address to retrieve your username and password
(Check your spam folder if you don't find it in your inbox)

×