3 chapters across the catalog
Bernie Sanders, Senate Committee on Obesity and Junk Food
Senator Bernie Sanders and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee address the rising costs of diabetes treatment and insulin. Dr. Keisha Lipska testifies that the food industry profits from making people sick while the drug industry profits from treating them. Sanders suggests banning junk food advertisements targeted at children as a preventative measure.
Insulin Price Gouging, Hospital Budget Back-Filling
Congress held hearings on the skyrocketing cost of insulin, which has risen from $21 to $275 per vial since 1996. The hosts discuss how hospitals and insurance companies negotiate lump-sum budgets and then "back-fill" individual procedure prices to meet those arbitrary totals.
Healthcare Bundled Payments and Diabetes Drug Price Fixing
The healthcare industry is shifting toward "bundled payments," where insurers pay a flat fee for a procedure like a hip replacement regardless of the actual hospital stay duration. Simultaneously, a Bloomberg report indicates potential price fixing in the insulin market, where three major companies have matched price increases to the decimal point over five years. These costs have doubled despite low national inflation.
