Healthier Markets
Health care prices are irrationally high and vary greatly, even for routine care. Rapidly consolidating hospital systems in Texas charge employers double what it costs to break even—more than three times Medicare—forcing employers and families to pay millions of dollars more than necessary.
In Dallas, removing a gallbladder can cost less than $5,000 or more than $35,000, depending on which hospital you choose. Hospitals are also marking up life-saving drugs an average of 250%. Private equity-backed staffing firms are aggressively consolidating physician practices then inflating prices and charging abusive facility fees. Price increases alone account for 75% of the increase in health insurance premiums—not utilization, not patient health, and not technological advancements.
Texans deserve affordable, high-quality health coverage and care, but rising prices push coverage further out of reach for too many.
Solutions?
- Increase transparency
- Increase competition
- Allow innovative price shopping and value-based payments
