science

The current governmental initiatives that aim to expand health care coverage to more Americans will likely help to reduce overall health care costs and improve access to health care services. By increasing health care coverage to more people, a greater number of individuals will be able to access regular preventative care and treatment, which in turn could reduce the cost of more serious illnesses and healthcare crises down the line. Additional measures that could help reduce health care costs and improve access to health care services should be considered. For example, reforming the high cost of prescription drugs and encouraging more competitive pricing through reforms to lower consumer costs. More could also be done to incentivize the use of digital health technologies and telehealth services, which provide more convenient care options and increase access to medical services. Transparency in health care pricing could help cut costs by allowing patients to shop for and compare providers, services, and treatments. By increasing transparency and competition, consumers may be able to access health care services at lower costs than otherwise. Finally, the recently approved healthcare bill could benefit from a greater focus on preventative care and treatment services. Increasing access to such services, especially for chronic conditions and mental health, could help prevent such illnesses from escalating and reduce future healthcare costs. Additionally, incentivizing the use of early diagnosis and treatment could help lower the cost of treating conditions that become more difficult and costly to treat if they progress.