- Even at “disproportionate share” hospitals — facilities that supposedly are safety-net providers — less than half of 340B earnings go toward charity care.
- The 340B program is raising costs for employers and state governments.
- Is the war on saturated fats finally coming to an end?
- The United States leads the world in both number and rate of transplants, with more than 48,000 transplants performed in 2024.
- Just how woke is JAMA?
Category: Health Economics & Costs
Cato: Government Cannot Fix Health Care; Only Consumers Can
In stark contrast to other sectors of the economy, about 90% of all medical care is paid for by someone other than the consumer. Of that 90% – and a portion of the remaining 10% – prices were negotiated in advance by a third part. However, there is not one price, but rather many different prices for the same service, depending on who the payer is. Furthermore, prices have no relation to costs. The list price for those who lack access to a negotiated discount is about 1.5 times what large health insurers pay for the same service. Yet, prices vary from one facility to the next.
Report: DEI Admissions in Medical Schools Still Going Strong
Why does it matter if your doctor looks like you? Supposedly your doctor may have more empathy for a patient whose ethnic background is like their own. A minority patient may trust a doctor who shares their ethnic heritage and heed their advice better. They may be less anxious during a physician visit. If all the above is true, patient satisfaction and health outcomes could potentially improve.
Thursday Links
- CBO: The Trump administration has proposed shrinking the budget of the N.I.H. by nearly 40 percent. But even a 10 percent reduction would prevent roughly 30 additional drugs from coming to market in the next three decades.
- Young workers could lose $110,000 in lifetime earnings to keep Social Security solvent.
- Why do we need a Surgeon General?
- An interesting 20-year bet.