Healthcare Denial: The Unsustainable Reality Behind Every System
When UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered in 2024, some people claimed his job was equivalent to murder. Prominent leftists like Hasan Piker and Briahna Joy Gray said insurance companies deny claims that lead to death, making the CEOs responsible for 'social murder.' However, this statement is problematic because every health care system denies claims, including those with fully government-run systems.
The main reason for denying claims is cost containment. If doctors and hospitals are free to order tests and treatments without limits, the system becomes unsustainable. This means someone has to make tough decisions about how to allocate resources and what treatments will be most effective.
Even in countries with single-payer systems like the UK, there are formulas that govern what gets covered and what doesn't. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) estimates a treatment's value based on its impact on quality or length of life compared to its cost. If the treatment costs more than £35,000 ($46,000 in US dollars), it's not approved.
The US has added complexity due to private insurance negotiations with doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies. This leads to administrative costs estimated at $1,055 per capita annually, which is three times higher than what other nations spend.