re: "Americans spend more on health care than anyone". What if it is due to consumer choices?

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They get it for free, dont pay and hospitals eat the cost/pass it on to people with insurance

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If it makes you feel better to believe that canard, then more power to you. I think if you looked at the P&L's of some of he major hospital companies in the area , they do quite well even when the freeloaders are factored in. They have a before tax income of about 9 or 10% on average and since most of them are non(not for) profit, they get to keep it so long as it goes to bonuses and physical expansion.

1. They jack the price up because they can. In most areas now, there really is not any type of competition between hospitals. On the Northshore for example, you have the choice of Ochsner and Tulane with Ochsner having the bigger footprint and positioning. No competition means they can charge you pretty good

2. Like the Michigan man said, over utilization of resources. I know physicians that lament that they tend to see the same people over and over again for whatever. Had an Optho friend tell me about this one patient that any time her eye would itch she would schedule an appointment and wear out the front office only to be told that it was a mild allergy eye or some sort of non threatening irritation .