Behind the Cost of Care: An Analysis of High and Irrational California Health Care Prices

Families across California are grappling with the devastating effects of high health care costs. Over half of all Californians have had to skip or postpone needed health care services due to the cost and many are forced to choose between paying for basic necessities and seeing a doctor.

Behind the health care affordability crisis plaguing Californians, as well as people across the U.S., are irrationally high and variable health care prices set by giant health care corporations that come to dominate local health care markets and increase prices year after year.

This paper utilizes data on California health care prices to explore the need for innovative policy solutions like the California Office of Health Care Affordability, which holds the potential to provide real relief from years of health care cost growth.