Healthcare in the United States is governed by a complicated
bureaucracy. "Over the last century, American health care has
thrived. Rather than impeding advancement, the complicated
regulatory framework, for all of its failings, may have actually
contributed to nourish and foster the broader industry" (Field, 2008).
Unlike the rest of the world, where medical facilities are generally
controlled by governments or private enterprises, the majority of
hospitals and clinics in the United States are owned by public
institutions or private organizations. However, the United States has
the highest healthcare prices in the world. Although these costs are
borne mostly by public payers such as federal organizations or state
and municipal governments, they may also be privately insured and
borne by individuals. At the same time, unlike most developed
countries, the United States' healthcare system does not cover the
entire population. Because there is no single national health
insurance system, the United States is mainly reliant on employers to
