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The Medical-Industrial Complex

The medical-industrial complex (MIC) refers to the health industry, which is composed of the multibillion-dollar congeries of enterprises including doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, insurance companies, drug manufacturers, hospital supply and equipment companies, real estate and construction businesses, health systems consulting and accounting firms, and banks. The concept conveys the idea that an important (if not the primary) function of the health care system in the United States is business (that is, to make profits) with two other secondary functions, research and education.  

Here I'll be posting information pertaining to the deleterious effects of "the system" on the health of Americans and its monumental role on the chronic disease epidemic in this country.  

Brigham Buhler: UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassination, & the Mass Monetization of Chronic Illness

An unhealthy, over-medicated country means record profits for insurance companies. Brigham Buhler explains how they work to keep us sick and monetize chronic illness.  Tucker Carlson's guest is actually a compound pharmacist. 

How Pharmacy Benefit Managers Drive Up the Cost of Health Care

by  Joseph Mercola, MD - Feb 1, 2025
Story at-a-glance
  • Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) evolved from simple claims processors into powerful health care intermediaries that control drug pricing and access through their relationships with insurers, pharmacies and drug manufacturers. PBMs engage in "spread pricing" — charging insurers more than they reimburse pharmacies and pocketing the difference — while also steering patients toward higher-cost medications through "rebate pumping" arrangements with drug manufacturers
  • The current health care system, influenced by PBMs, underemphasizes preventive care while promoting long-term drug dependency, as ongoing prescription management generates more reliable revenue than prevention or cures
  • Independent pharmacies and rural hospitals struggle financially under PBM practices, facing delayed reimbursements, strict audit requirements, and complex negotiation terms that often force them to either close or sell to larger chains
  • Three major investment firms — BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street (the "Big Three") — have significant financial stakes across PBMs, drug manufacturers, and insurance companies, creating a web of interconnected financial interests
  • Solutions include eliminating safe harbor rebate rules, expanding cash-pay health care models, separating PBM services from insurance companies, and implementing stricter regulations to improve pricing transparency  Read More

It’s Not About Politics, It’s About Reclaiming Health with Common Sense - How the 3 Core Views on Medicine Can Transform Our Approach to Health 
Richard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.

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The Missing Common Sense and Logic

In today's medical system, common sense and logic are often overshadowed by rigid protocols and economic incentives. Examples include:

  • Chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease are treated with lifelong medications instead of addressing reversible root causes such as poor diet, nutrition and lifestyle.

  • Preventive measures like orthomolecular nutrition of vitamins C and D supplementation or low-carb dietary interventions are ignored, despite robust evidence supporting their effectiveness and cost efficiency.

This disconnect arises from an overemphasis on specialization and profit-driven priorities. Medicine has shifted away from healing and toward managing conditions. Restoring common sense requires a return to first principles:

  1. Treat the patient, not just the disease.

  2. Focus on prevention and root causes.

  3. Respect the body’s natural capacity for self-healing.  READ MORE

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