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15 Most Expensive Medical Treatments/Procedures in the US

Ty Haqqi
10 min read

In This Article:

In this article, we will be taking a look at the 15 most expensive medical treatments/procedures in the US. To skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to see the 5 most expensive medical treatments/procedures in the US.

The U.S. is unique in that it is one of the only advanced countries in the world to not offer universal healthcare. Instead, a person's healthcare is generally tied to employment, and those without insurance can even go bankrupt while attempting to pay off bills. In fact, a person without insurance can often be charged exorbitant amounts without any basis, as hospitals expect insurance companies to haggle and reduce the bill and if you're wondering how much does surgery cost without insurance, it can vary widely from hospital to hospital, your negotiating skills and the type of surgery, but odds are overwhelming that the cost will be much higher than if a person was insured.

Unfortunately, despite the U.S. topping the list of countries with the best hospitals in the world, said healthcare is often only available to some of the population. You might even be surprised to know that healthcare is among the most lucrative industries in the country, and doctors and surgeons can command top salaries. While in other advanced countries the entire population can access healthcare services, including Canada and most European countries such as Germany, France, Spain and Poland. Since the U.S. has repelled any advances towards universal healthcare, it also has some of the highest per capita spending on healthcare and in 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demonstrated that per capita healthcare spending in the U.S., driven mainly be the most expensive medical treatments / procedures in the U.S., stands at $12,914. At the same time, healthcare spending in the country stands at a staggering $4.3 trillion per year, and yet, is still unable to provide quality service to the overall population. Some of the most expensive medical treatments in the world are mostly present here, which is why many people even consider going to Mexico for cheaper medical treatments. It's also not surprising that likely the most expensive hospital bill ever also took place in the U.S. in Florida, worth $9.2 million.

15 Most Expensive Medical Treatments/Procedures in the US
15 Most Expensive Medical Treatments/Procedures in the US

A surgeon in a modern operating theatre performing a transplant surgery with medical technology. Editorial photo for a financial news article. 8k. --ar 16:9

According to McKinsey & Company, the healthcare industry is expected to demonstrate growth of 4 percent CAGR from 2021 to 2016, where it will likely reach profits of $790 billion. This is a downwards revision from an earlier prediction of 6% growth by McKinsey from 2021 to 2026, as inflationary pressures have threatened growth. While inflation is no longer as high as the peak it reached in 2022, it is still relatively high and combined with labor shortages, is providing additional difficulties to the healthcare industry. A 2021 report by the American Association of Medical Colleges predicted that around 15,800 - 30,200 shortages would be seen across all surgical sectors by 2030, which will prevent people from receiving the necessary treatment, including the most expensive medical treatments in the country, which can cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of the primary reasons behind this shortage is due to the high costs of medical education as huge student debts along with high interest rates are acting as a further deterrent.

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