---
type: claim
domain: health
confidence: experimental
description: Third-party payment insulation is a primary structural mechanism for US demand inflation.
created: 2025-00-00
processed_date: 2025-01-01
source: OECD, CDC
---

The claim explores the role of third-party payment insulation as a primary structural mechanism contributing to US healthcare demand inflation. While it is not the only mechanism, it plays a significant role alongside other factors such as public sector pricing, deaths of despair, and administrative simplicity. The RAND Health Insurance Experiment provides counter-evidence, but the claim remains focused on the structural impact of third-party payment systems.

US life expectancy was previously stated as "~76.4 years and declining," but recent CDC data from 2023 shows a rebound to ~77.5 years. This adjustment does not affect the overall claim regarding the gap in healthcare spending and outcomes.