Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Bryan Tehunissen
“Americans are told that high medical costs are inevitable. Medicine is complex. Technology advances. The population is aging. Saving lives, we’re assured, simply costs more. But that explanation collapses the moment we look at parts of medicine that operate under different economic rules. Consider LASIK eye surgery. Since its introduction in the 1990s, the procedure has become safer, more precise, and more technologically advanced. Yet when adjusted for inflation, the price for the procedure has remained stable or even dropped. Cosmetic surgery shows a similar pattern: improving quality, competitive pricing, transparent costs. These are not simple services. They require advanced equipment, skilled specialists, and serious safety standards. What they lack is something else: third-party payment distortion.” (02/22/26)
https://fee.org/articles/why-is-american-healthcare-so-expensive/