This is the refrain of our times, the economic dogma that has been allowed to infiltrate even our perception of the sanctity of human life. But if competition were truly the engine of improvement, why do we witness skyrocketing prices for common drugs that have existed for decades? Why do hospitals close in rural areas, leaving entire regions bereft of care for hours around, simply because the population density is too low to justify investor interest? Why do insurers find convoluted ways to deny claims, to pile up obscure terms and conditions, all to ensure that their profit margins remain robust?

A System Designed to Fail

It is a mistake to call our healthcare system “broken.” To do so would suggest it once functioned well and now falters by accident. But this system was never designed to safeguard the health of the many; it was engineered with the aim of financial gain for the few. It is a labyrinth deliberately constructed of administrative barriers, obfuscated billing practices, and legal complexities. This is not an unintended consequence—this is the blueprint.