The article discusses the increasing costs of American health care, with the author suggesting that hospitals and large health systems exploit opaque pricing, inflating bills, and using consolidation to eliminate competition. The author points out that fraud is rampant when providers bill for care not delivered, and waste and abuse when the system rewards higher codes and facility fees for the same care. The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association estimates that health care fraud costs between 3% and 10% of total health spending, potentially exceeding $300 billion. The article suggests that hospitals bill for services never rendered, inflate diagnostic codes to collect more money, and use mergers to reduce competition. It also highlights phantom charges billed for tests and services patients never received. The Conservative Party has long advocated for cutting fraud, waste, and abuse in government programs, and should apply to health care.