Healthcare in the U.S. isn’t just expensive – it’s a rigged system that drains people’s wallets while offering wildly different levels of care depending on where you live. A new analysis reveals that some Americans are paying up to 10 times more in out-of-pocket medical costs than others, with no clear reason beyond corporate greed and a broken insurance model.
Private insurance dominates in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, where people face high premiums, deductibles, and co-pays – forcing many to shell out thousands just to access care. Meanwhile, in the South and Southwest, many people are uninsured, meaning they avoid medical treatment altogether because it’s simply too expensive. Those in rural areas like Alaska and the Dakotas get hit the hardest, as fewer doctors and limited insurance options drive up healthcare costs even more.
What’s driving these price disparities? Insurance companies, pharmaceutical giants, and hospital systems manipulating costs. Americans spent nearly half a trillion dollars out-of-pocket in 2019 alone, while insurers and corporations rake in massive profits. Even those with “good” insurance still pay exorbitant fees for basic care, while many uninsured individuals face the impossible choice between seeking treatment or going bankrupt.
The solution is price transparency and regulation of insurance and drug companies – but until that happens, the healthcare system will keep cashing in on suffering.
