An American Sickness by Elisabeth Rosenthal Summary
Overview of An American Sickness
Harvard physician Elisabeth Rosenthal exposes America's profit-sick healthcare system, offering both shocking diagnosis and practical prescription. A New York Times bestseller that sparked national reform debates, arming patients with tools to fight a system where getting well shouldn't mean going broke.
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Key takeaways
When a Band-Aid Costs $629
A pregnant woman arrives at a hospital emergency room with a minor cut on her finger. Three hours later, she leaves with a Band-Aid and a bill for $629. This isn't fiction-it's the reality of American healthcare, where the rules of normal economics collapse into absurdity. In most markets, competition lowers prices. In healthcare, it raises them. An MRI scan for the same body part, in the same city, can cost anywhere from $400 to $4,000 depending on which facility you walk into. How did we arrive at this bewildering landscape where medical bills have become the leading cause of personal bankruptcy, affecting over half a million American families each year? Healthcare wasn't always a business designed to extract maximum revenue. The transformation began innocently enough during World War II, when wage controls prevented companies from offering higher salaries to attract workers. The solution? Tax-exempt health benefits. These early insurance plans were simple safety nets-covering catastrophic hospital stays over $100 while leaving routine doctor visits uncovered. They existed to prevent financial ruin from serious illness, not to make healthcare affordable or control costs.
The Insurance Industry's Transformation from Safety Net to Profit Machine
Hospitals and Physicians: From Healers to Revenue Centers
The Pharmaceutical Shell Game and Device Markup Machine
Hospital Monopolies and the Weaponization of Technology
The Affordable Care Act's Promise and Limitations
Fighting Back: Reclaiming Healthcare from the Profiteers
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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