Unmasking the Real Cost Drivers in U.S. Healthcare

This report critically examines the role of hospitals—particularly nonprofit institutions—in driving unsustainable healthcare costs in the United States. With hospital care consuming over $1.5 trillion in 2023 alone, the report explores structural inefficiencies, opaque pricing practices, fee-for-service incentives, and executive excesses that contribute to skyrocketing healthcare costs. Drawing on the analyses of both recent legislative debates and systemic trends, this paper merges policy critique with economic examination to argue for urgent and focused reform.