While there are some regulations, it's basically a tug of war between business interests (insurance, hospitals, pharma, device manufacturers, testing companies, revolving door government agencies) that buy politicians and scam the government* and patients. No one would plan a health system this way, but planned economies (for the interests of regular people, not private equity) are "socialism" so we get to be the victims of life-or-death extortion rackets.
Anyway, our government continues to denounce as "authoritarian and oppressive" the tiny socialist island nation of Cuba that built an incredibly impressive health system that exports doctors (such as to Italy at the start of the ongoing pandemic) when they can't even get metal for syringes b/c of U.S. sanctions.
Anyway, our government continues to denounce as "authoritarian and oppressive" the tiny socialist island nation of Cuba that built an incredibly impressive health system that exports doctors (such as to Italy at the start of the ongoing pandemic) when they can't even get metal for syringes b/c of U.S. sanctions.
* For a striking example, Rick Scott was Gov. of Florida, now Senator. He was able to do this because he was rich. He got rich by scamming the hell out of Medicare. https://www.newsweek.com/rick-scotts-connection-massive-medi...