US healthcare costs are rising at an alarming rate:

Medical care prices have surged +132% since 2000, the largest increase among major consumer spending categories.

Over the same period, shelter costs have risen +127%, while food prices have soared +112%.

Price increases across all these spending categories have outpaced overall CPI, which is up +99% since 2000.

As a result, ~30% of insured US adults have skipped or delayed getting healthcare they needed due to costs over the last 12 months, according to a KFF survey.

Healthcare costs have never been higher.

Recent bill for an AFib ablation:
Hospital Bill: $125,000
Actual cost accepted by Medicare: $25,000. Medicare paid $24,000
Patient pays $1,000
As long as hospitals are allowed to continue billing a phantom price and do not reflect actual market prices on their billing, fraud and…

— Luis H Ball (@ball1_ball) November 2, 2026