The hidden $935 billion problem in U.S. health care no one is talking about—and how to solve it

KevinMD October 26, 2024
Shakeel Ahmed, MD

“Waste is worse than loss. The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly.”
– Thomas Edison

The escalating challenge of waste in U.S. medicine

The U.S. health care system is struggling with inefficiencies and waste that weaken its effectiveness, thus reducing accessibility and sustainability as a whole. According to a study by JAMA, between $760 and $935 billion is wasted annually within the U.S. health care system. This is outrageous, especially since it represents almost 25 percent of the nation’s health care costs, creating an incredibly resource-intensive problem.

Three main drivers of this waste are administrative complexity, over-treatment, and lack of care coordination—all driving up costs without improving...

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