Obamacare and Medical Monopolies

     As Obamacare officially became law with the reopening of our government, the importance of healthcare and healthcare costs in America will only grow. Healthcare in America is already very expensive because our system is incredibly complex, it is for profit, and government oversight is severely lacking both in quality and quantity. With the new mandate that (just about) every citizen must have insurance by around March, the medical market place is about to become much more complicated. However, a critical flaw in our medical system that is entirely unnecessary is the presence of medical monopolies.

     Certain hospitals across America are merging together to form a monopoly on healthcare services. Once in possession of these monopolies, hospitals can drive prices even higher than they already are. Of course, these aren't official monopolies but steps to "streamline" healthcare for the consumer. Much like England from the 15th to the end of the 17th century, monopolies are still an issue in America because companies continually find loopholes to exploit the system. Combine this problem with the impeding shortage of primary care physicians, the lack of residencies to train doctors who actually have MDs so that they can work, and an aging population, the roller coaster ride that is healthcare is just getting started. It seems to be the natural instinct of both American and English businessmen to use the system to reach the top, then destroy the ladder so no one else can challenge them.