Why is US health care still the most expensive in the world after decades of cost-cutting initiatives?

To lower health care costs, the Trump administration will have to wrangle a complex system fraught with competing interests.

By: Patrick Aguilar, Washington University in St. Louis, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 11, 2026

Words: 1,579

Last Updated: 2 weeks ago

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By Patrick Aguilar, Washington University in St. Louis

In announcing its “Great Healthcare Plan” in January 2026, the Trump administration became the latest in a long history of efforts by the U.S. government to rein in the soaring cost of health care.

As a physician and professor studying the intersection of business and health, I know that the challenges in reforming the sprawling U.S. health care system are immense. That’s partly for political …

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