How Healthcare Became Big Business And How You Can Take It Back

The American healthcare system is in crisis. Costs are skyrocketing, access to care is dwindling, and the quality of care is declining. How did we get here? And what can we do to fix it?

In his new book, How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back, Dr. David Himmelstein argues that the healthcare system has been hijacked by big business. Hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies have put their profits ahead of the needs of patients, and the result has been a system that is broken and unaffordable.

An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back

by Elisabeth Rosenthal

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1632 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	407 pages
X-Ray	:	Enabled

FREE

But it doesn't have to be this way. Dr. Himmelstein offers a roadmap for how we can take back our healthcare system and put it back in the hands of the people who need it most.

How Healthcare Became Big Business

The roots of the healthcare crisis can be traced back to the early 20th century, when hospitals began to consolidate and insurance companies gained more power. This led to a system in which hospitals and insurance companies were able to charge whatever they wanted, and patients had no choice but to pay.

The situation was made worse by the rise of the pharmaceutical industry. In the 1950s and 1960s, pharmaceutical companies began to develop new drugs that were more expensive and less effective than the old ones. They also began to market these drugs directly to consumers, creating a demand for new and expensive treatments.

The result of all of these changes was a healthcare system that was increasingly driven by profit, and less and less focused on the needs of patients.

How You Can Take Back Healthcare

Dr. Himmelstein argues that we can take back our healthcare system by ng the following:

• Support single-payer healthcare. Single-payer healthcare is a system in which the government is the only payer for healthcare. This would eliminate the profit motive from the healthcare system and ensure that everyone has access to affordable care.
• Regulate the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry has been allowed to operate with impunity for too long. We need to regulate the industry to ensure that drugs are safe, effective, and affordable.
• Promote preventive care. Preventive care is the best way to keep people healthy and out of the hospital. We need to invest in preventive care programs and make them more accessible to everyone.
• Educate the public about healthcare. The public needs to be aware of the problems with the healthcare system and what can be done to fix them. We need to educate the public about the benefits of single-payer healthcare, the dangers of the pharmaceutical industry, and the importance of preventive care.

The American healthcare system is in crisis, but it doesn't have to be this way. We can take back our healthcare system and put it back in the hands of the people who need it most. By supporting single-payer healthcare, regulating the pharmaceutical industry, promoting preventive care, and educating the public about healthcare, we can create a healthcare system that is affordable, accessible, and high-quality for everyone.

An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back

by Elisabeth Rosenthal

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1632 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	407 pages
X-Ray	:	Enabled

FREE