A few weeks ago I posted about the struggle I was having getting through the prior authorization process with my insurance company. Apparently, someone at NBC Nightly News caught it and reached out to ask if I’d be willing to talk about it. The story was about how the health insurance industry has finally acknowledged that this prior authorization system isn’t working for anyone, so they will make some changes. There’s a lot of my interview that didn’t get into the final story, but one thing I said is that I suspect the change has less to do with a grave concern for patients, and more to do with the furious backlash that was heading their way. People have absolutely had it up to HERE with the delays and denials caused by prior authorizations.

The article paints a stark portrait of a deeply troubled U.S. healthcare system—expensive, inefficient, and delivering subpar outcomes. Though the U.S. spends more on healthcare per capita than any peer nation, it consistently ranks worst or near-worst in key public health metrics: the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest maternal and infant mortality rates, the highest preventable hospitalization and death rates, the highest suicide rate, and the greatest chronic disease burden facs.org+9facs.org+9facs.org+9.

The fundamental flaws are manifold:

This story has some good examples of how badly American health care is failing.

The U.S. healthcare system, valued at $4.5 trillion and comprising 17% of the national economy, remains a deeply flawed and intensely bureaucratic setup—even for the insured thetimes.co.uk. Despite coverage for 92% of Americans, steep insurance premiums (averaging $8,435 for individuals and $23,968 for families) and inflated per‑person healthcare spending ($13,493, double that of peer nations) contribute to widespread financial distress en.wikipedia.orgthetimes.co.uk.