A letter to the editor submitted by Anthony P. Tesso of Camas challenges the idea that a free market healthcare system is the answer to the country’s healthcare woes. The author cites the high cost of healthcare in the US, with an estimated $14,885 spent per person in 2024, compared to an average of $7,371 in other wealthy OECD nations.

Healthcare Spending

The author argues that the US is already a market-driven healthcare system, and that the high costs are not due to a lack of competition, but rather due to higher prices for healthcare services. The author also notes that Americans use many healthcare services at lower rates than peers in other countries, with shorter hospital stays.

The idea of a free market healthcare commission, as proposed by Elizabeth New, is seen as a defense of the status quo, rather than a genuine attempt at reform. The author suggests that the focus should be on reducing healthcare costs, rather than simply promoting a free market approach.

Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.