American families, businesses, and taxpayers are increasingly burdened by unreasonably high health care costs, primarily driven by increases in the prices charged for health care services. This problem has become particularly acute as large hospitals and health systems continue to acquire smaller hospitals and physician offices and use their increased market power to limit competition and raise prices without improvements in the quality of care. This restricts patients’ choices for care and increases their premiums and out-of-pocket costs, making it harder for patients to access and afford the care they need to be healthy.
