fakey

I couldn't tell you what the profit margin is, but I can tell you that 12 years ago the CEO's of Aetna & Cigna (sp ?) each had a base salary of over $5,000,000 - this is not counting bonuses & share options etc & doesn't take into account the voluminous perks available to them (access to free luxury housing, travel, transportation etc)
Bear in mind that these companies support a vast structure of COO's, CFO's, Vice Presidents, consultants etc who are also all very well-remunerated - & 'profits' are obviously immense - even if they are largely camouflaged as executive salaries.

fakey

According to wikipedia, in 2013, Mark Bertolini ceo of aetna received over $30,000,000 in compensation.

Lion in Winter

The US doesn't have a "health care system". It has a "health care industry", quite correctly named.

mrken30

I have just been told you can look up tax returns for non-profits on http://www.guidestar.org/Home.aspx or https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/

morpeth

Just overpay their executives and employees. What a racket.

morpeth

I believe there are statistics for charities describing what percentage goes to " administration" as opposed to "charitable purposes". People like Osteen ( judging from news reports, certainly make a lot of money) may not be the "norm".

Just anecdotal evidence but town I was living in the Midwest had 2,500 people and 7 churches. As the economy declined and the situation of the poor and working poor in the county kept getting worse the churches got together and instituted free dinners 6 nights a week, food banks on Fridays, and even gas vouchers or help negotiating utility bills- wasn't illegal for one of electric providers in winter to shut off power even with homes with children. Gas vouchers critical as no public transport whatever, even to the county seat or nearby cities. Add in opiod crisis in the area, wasn't a pretty sight.

Afterwards spent some time UK town not known for being a hotbed of economic progress since Thatcher closed the pits. People didn't seem any where near as desperate.

Nutmegger

This is one of the top sites for reviews of nonprofits:

BBB Wise Giving Alliance - give.org

BritInParis

If you want to be a pedant, the US has both, as does the UK.

mrken30

My companies report is blank. I work for a non-profit as opposed to a charity.

Lion in Winter

I wasn't being a pedant, although I can if it makes you happy.

I was commenting on the fact that private profit drives how and if a US citizen gets his/her health taken care of. Health is not really considered a public good here.

Nutmegger

Apologies, I meant to say charity, not np. The site is a good yardstick for basic charitable giving, whereas guidestar is more of a pro tool.

mrken30

It's sometimes confusing distinguishing between a non-profit and a charity. Both want you to give money to them, both will allow you to write off donations against taxes.

BritInParis

Which doesn't prevent it from being a healthcare system.

morpeth

In the USA there are some differences between not for profit and non profit, a lot depending on criteria for membership, and there are some not for profit related entities for which there is no tax deduction, and even some non profits for which one doesn't get a tax deduction, let alone the extremely complicated rules for foundations.

One of the problems that can result with many entities that deliver health care is that basically then end up as captive piggy-banks for the top executives. No shareholders to control compensation, and often incestuous "outside" directors who are chosen to approve executives salaries without much questioning. Whether health care organizations , or "non profit" universities or large charities, the executives can often do quite well.

Lion in Winter

In the US, all charities are nonprofits, but not all nonprofits are charities. Hospitals are often non-profits, but not 501c3 charities which have a special tax status. Many healthcare organizations, including hospitals, form separate foundations for charitable work.