[o11c]

> If you look at the actual profit margins it’s low single digit percentages.

Didn't I see somewhere that that's an artifact of Hollywood-style accounting? If you spin up a sub-business then have that sub-business charge high fees for services you can't live without, the main business might even be losing money!

What's indisputable is:

* in America, we pay more for less healthcare

* most of the money does not go to the doctors and nurses actually providing services

* it also does not go to research, which is funded elsewhere (assuming it keeps being funded at all)

* it's often possible to pay less for a service if you pay the provider directly rather get your insurance involved

[nickff]

I’m not sure where you’re getting your info, but it seems like well over half of US healthcare spending is on wages for doctors, nurses, and other patient-facing staff (such as RMTs, techs, and physios). Administrative and drug costs are definitely above the OECD average, but not the sole drivers.

Here is one source, but there are many more: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/03/u-s-pays-more...