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Shocking Facts That Prove That The Entire U.S. Healthcare Industry Has Become One Giant Money Making Scam
https://michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/33-shocking-facts-that-prove-that
The Profit-Driven Crisis: Exposing Systemic Exploitation in the U.S. Healthcare Industry
The U.S. healthcare system, despite its astronomical costs, prioritizes profit over patient well-being, functioning as a lucrative enterprise for corporations while delivering subpar outcomes. Below are the critical revelations underscoring this systemic failure:
Exorbitant Spending, Dismal Outcomes
The U.S. spends $5 trillion annually on healthcare—surpassing the GDP of the United Kingdom. If the healthcare system were a country, it would rank as the 6th largest global economy.
Despite this spending, the U.S. trails nations like Albania, Cuba, and Singapore in life expectancy, infant mortality, and preventable disease rates. For example, the U.S. infant mortality rate is nearly triple Singapore’s.
Corporate Greed at the Helm
Pharmaceutical giants prioritize profits over health:
They spend $15 billion yearly on TV ads, pushing medications that lead to 1.5 million emergency visits annually due to adverse reactions.
Ten pharma executives each earned over $20 million in 2023, while 1,200+ drugs face FDA recalls yearly.
Health insurers employ “delay, deny, defend” tactics to avoid payouts. The six largest insurers generated $1.1 trillion in revenue in 2023—exceeding Pentagon spending—while their profits surged 287% over a decade.
Crushing Financial Burdens on Patients
Medical debt plagues 100 million Americans, driving 62% of personal bankruptcies. Households owe $220 billion in medical bills, with many avoiding care due to costs (78% skip hospital visits).
Hospitals inflate charges: A three-day stay averages
30,000∗∗,andbillsoftencontain∗∗90
30,000∗∗,andbillsoftencontain∗∗90700,000 bill for her newborn’s two-month NICU stay.
Profit-Driven Care Delivery
Unnecessary procedures like C-sections (costing
17,004vs.
17,004vs.12,235 for vaginal births) are incentivized.
Chronic diseases drain resources:
200billion∗∗oncancer,∗∗
200billion∗∗oncancer,∗∗250 billion on heart disease, and $400 billion on diabetes annually—yet outcomes lag globally.
Systemic Inequities and Failures
27 million Americans lack insurance, while insured adults face 18% claim denial rates.
Government programs like Medicare (68 million enrolled) and Medicaid (71 million enrolled) strain under half of all healthcare spending, yet fail to curb corporate profiteering.
Conclusion
The U.S. healthcare system is engineered to enrich corporations—pharmaceutical giants, insurers, and hospitals—at the expense of public health. With hospital profits up 400% since 1999 and executives like UnitedHealth’s CEO earning $23.5 million annually, reform remains stifled by lobbying and political inertia. This profit-first model sacrifices lives for revenue, leaving millions in debt and despair. As the author asserts, recognizing this crisis is the first step toward demanding accountability and systemic change.
Source: “33 Shocking Facts…” by Michael Snyder (Adapted for clarity and brevity).
This summary distills key themes from the source material to highlight systemic exploitation in U.S. healthcare. For further analysis, refer to Snyder’s full work.