Economics of Health Care Reform: Efficiency, Competition, and Transparency

Healthcare costs in the United States continue to rise at an unsustainable rate, with no single entity willing to take responsibility. Hospitals point to insurance companies, insurers blame drug manufacturers, manufacturers fault employers, and employers shift blame to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The cycle repeats, while patients bear the burden. Unlike other industries, hospitals operate within a uniquely constrained market. Emergency medical care does not allow consumers the time or ability to compare options, leaving them at the mercy of a system that lacks transparency and competition. Across all sectors, market consolidation has accelerated—a well-documented driver of rising costs. Hospitals, insurers, and providers are consolidating at a rapid pace, further limiting consumer choice and driving up prices. This book examines two critical policy solutions with the potential to disrupt these trends: strategies to reduce costs, enhance competition, and empower patients in navigating their healthcare options. By addressing inefficiencies and promoting transparency, these reforms offer a path toward a more sustainable and equitable system.