Healthcare’s Cost Crisis: How Primary Care Can Deliver The Savings We Need

Forbes November 18, 2024
Robert Pearl, M.D.

In the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Americans voiced concerns over the unaffordability of healthcare. In a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, voters said they worried most about the cost of medical care—more than groceries, gas, rent or any other expense.

With tens of millions of U.S. patients and thousands of employers struggling to afford rising premiums and drug prices newly elected officials now face increasing pressure to address the medical spending crisis without compromising the nation’s health.

But what’s driving the relentless surge in healthcare spending, and how can we contain it?

How Chronic Disease Created A Spending Frenzy

While many factors contribute to rising medical costs, the biggest driver—by far—is the explosion in chronic disease.

Long-term...