為何美國的醫療保健成本高於其他國家
Why healthcare costs are higher in the U.S. compared to other nations
美國醫療保健系統的人均支出顯著高於其他富裕國家，但在健康成效上卻常有所不足。
The U.S. healthcare system spends significantly more per capita than other wealthy nations, yet often falls short on health outcomes.
令人驚訝的是，這並非因為美國人看醫生的頻率更高，或者住院時間更長。
Surprisingly, this is not because Americans visit doctors more often or stay in hospitals longer.
其主要原因單純是醫療服務、處方藥物和醫療技術的價格更高。
The primary driver is simply higher prices for services, prescription drugs, and medical technology.
一個重要的結構性問題是行政複雜性；私人保險與公共保險混雜的零碎體系，與其他國家相較下，產生了顯著更高的營運成本。
One major structural issue is administrative complexity; the fragmented mix of private and public insurance creates significantly higher overhead costs compared to other countries.
此外，按服務付費的模式常獎勵高量醫療而非病患的健康。
Additionally, the fee-for-service model often incentivizes high-volume care rather than patient health.
再者，醫院整併減少了競爭，使供應商能夠提高價格。
Furthermore, hospital consolidation has reduced competition, allowing providers to increase prices.
儘管這樣的高額支出，美國仍缺乏全民醫療保健覆蓋，且在預期壽命和嬰兒死亡率等指標上，持續落後於同等富裕國家。
Despite this high spending, the U.S. lacks universal coverage and continues to rank lower than peer nations on metrics like life expectancy and infant mortality.
這些因素相加，構成了一個高成本的體系，但對病患而言，其整體價值依舊是一項重大的國家難題。
These factors combined create a system where costs are high, but the overall value to the patient remains a significant national challenge.
