Break Up the Real Medical Cartel

The article argues that breaking up large, vertically integrated healthcare companies would not by itself make care more affordable or competitive. It says the proposed Break Up Big Medicine Act misidentifies company size and integration as the main problems, while leaving in place rules that limit patient choice and protect established providers.

The article points to conflicts of interest at firms such as CVS Health and UnitedHealth Group, and says CVS’s planned pharmacy spin-off would not automatically create new competitors. It notes that 91 per cent of Americans’ health insurance in 2025 was government-subsidised directly or through employer tax exclusions. Instead of imposing limits on growth, it calls for reforms such as expanding health savings accounts, easing restrictions on insurance plans and protecting patients’ ability to pay directly or use subscription plans.