Due to corporate monopolies that have warped the fundamentals of care, the U.S. healthcare system is at a turning point, with both physicians and patients suffering. We must reconsider how we provide healthcare in America because Big Medicine, a conglomerate of insurance behemoths, pharmaceutical middlemen, and corporately controlled healthcare organizations, has become too powerful. At this crucial moment, dismantling these corporate monopolies may be the answer to reestablishing justice, balance, and patient-centered care.
Big Medicine, a system in which a small number of corporations control almost every facet of healthcare, including hospital networks, pharmacy benefits management (PBMs), and insurance, has been growing for years. These corporations have embezzled vast sums of money from the healthcare system, frequently at the expense of the health of their patients. The issue is a systemic one that has led to worsening outcomes, increased costs, and a healthcare system where profit takes precedence over patient care. It is not just a matter of corporate greed. It’s time to dismantle these titans and return healthcare to the people who matter most—the physicians and patients.
Why You Should Care: The Big Medicine Crisis in Numbers
| Issue | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Percentage of U.S. Healthcare Controlled by Corporations | 75%+ |
| Percentage of Americans in Healthcare Deserts | 33%+ |
| Annual U.S. Healthcare Spending per Person | $14,500+ |
| Big Medicine Companies in Fortune 20 | 7 companies |
| PBMs Control of Drug Transactions | 80% |
The Big Medicine Monopolistic Hold
It took time for corporate monopolies to emerge in the healthcare industry. In the belief that larger healthcare organizations would improve care and reduce costs, U.S. policymakers have supported corporate consolidation for decades. However, the opposite has happened. The healthcare system is vertically integrated, with companies like UnitedHealth, CVS Health, and Cigna controlling everything from insurance claims to the medications you can obtain. As a result of these businesses’ growth, a huge conglomerate has been formed, leaving little space for competition and even less for patient-centered care.
For instance, consider UnitedHealth. It is the biggest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the biggest commercial insurer in the country, and the biggest processor of health insurance claims. This degree of consolidation is not unique. By fusing insurance services with pharmacy operations and healthcare delivery, companies such as CVS Health, Cigna, and Elevance Health are all increasing their impact on the healthcare industry. Patients now have fewer options, pay more, and have less transparency as a result of this integration, which eventually raises the cost of care. It is evident that healthcare has evolved from a system intended to care for individuals to another channel for corporate profiteering, as Big Medicine now accounts for seven of the top 20 U.S. companies by revenue.
The Cost of Consolidation to Humans
The consequences of this corporate control are very clear. Corporate interests that put cost-cutting measures ahead of treatment quality frequently pull doctors away from patient care. PBMs and other pharmaceutical middlemen add another level of complexity by dictating which medications patients can obtain and at what price, erecting obstacles that keep patients from receiving the care they require. These choices can even be lethal in certain situations. Consider patients with long-term illnesses like asthma, whose access to life-saving drugs has been delayed or refused due to corporate decision-making.
Additionally, independent pharmacies and medical practices are being forced out of business. Millions of Americans are left in healthcare deserts, where access to medical care is severely limited, as Big Medicine pushes out smaller players as it grows in power. Despite this, these corporations’ rhetoric keeps promising better care at lower costs. In actuality, though, healthcare costs are still rising while care quality is frequently subpar. A vicious cycle of increased premiums, fewer options, and worse results traps patients.
A Change Prescription: Dismantling Big Medicine
The answer is straightforward: dismantle Big Medicine. It’s time to apply the same reasoning to healthcare as the United States did when it passed the Glass-Steagall Act to distinguish between commercial and investment banks following the Great Depression. We can eradicate the conflicts of interest that afflict our system by keeping insurance companies and healthcare providers apart, pharmacies and PBMs apart, and pharmaceutical distributors and patient care practices apart. Healthcare professionals, not business executives, would make decisions based on medical necessity rather than financial incentives under this reform, which would restore a healthier balance.
Consider a future in which the healthcare industry is not a for-profit enterprise. a society in which physicians are free to act only in their patients’ best interests and not in the way that will benefit their insurance provider. where independent pharmacies can flourish and offer reasonably priced drugs without PBM intervention. We can lower costs, restore patient choice, and create a more competitive environment by breaking up these monopolies.
Why Now? The Need for Reform Now
There has never been a greater need to dismantle Big Medicine. It is obvious that the system is unsustainable given that healthcare expenditures account for almost 20% of the US GDP. In the meantime, Americans must contend with growing expenses and limited access to high-quality healthcare. Change is urgently needed in light of the growing prevalence of chronic illnesses, stagnating wages, and rising healthcare premiums.
Giving physicians and other healthcare workers the freedom to practice medicine in accordance with their oath rather than corporate directives is a crucial component of this reform. The incentives are all incorrect at the moment. Much of what occurs in the exam room is controlled by insurance companies and PBMs, who set treatment options and raise costs without considering the needs of the patient. By dismantling Big Medicine, we can give healthcare providers back control and let them decide on patient care and expertise rather than corporate profit.
The Wider Effect: Universal Access to Healthcare
This reform would have far-reaching effects. We can drastically cut healthcare costs by removing conflicts of interest and reviving competition in the healthcare industry. Employers, small businesses, and employees who are suffering from rising insurance premiums would all gain from this in addition to patients. Furthermore, dismantling monopolies would open the door to more creative healthcare solutions where patient care is prioritized over business profit margins.
The goal of this reform is to improve healthcare, not just make it more affordable. The goal is to make sure that the healthcare system works for the public, not for the benefit of businesses. The goal is to rebuild confidence in a system that has grown more ambiguous and insensitive to patient needs.
An Urgent Appeal for Change Right Away
Now is the moment to dismantle Big Medicine. The system has been skewed against patients for far too long, benefiting pharmaceutical conglomerates, PBMs, and insurance companies. It’s time for us to regain authority over our healthcare system, insist on openness, and place patients at the forefront of treatment. Participate in the Break Up Big Medicine movement to help build a healthcare system that benefits everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful.
