(Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)
U.S. healthcare costs have been high for decades, outpacing other developed countries since at least the 1980s. But costs continue to rise, and that is causing many experts to ask why. Some people blame federal policies. As an example, they point to reimbursement policies that create incentives for healthcare providers to consolidate. When hospitals merge with each other, or when hospitals buy out physician practices, healthcare providers gain negotiating leverage over insurers, which enables them to negotiate higher prices.
But what evidence do we have that federal policies are to blame for such consolidation?
(To read the rest of this article, please visit Forbes.)