The United States is commonly referred to as the land of opportunity where the idea of capitalism rules. Capitalism also extends into the health care field where profit maximization is often a disguised goal. Expensive drugs and invasive surgeries are the norm rather than more preventative and natural methods of caring for patients.

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), health care patients in the United States spend more money per capita ($8,745 in 2012) than any other country in the world. In 2013, the total national health care expenditure totaled 2.9 trillion dollars according to data gathered from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Paradoxically, when it comes to obesity, life expectancy rates, and infant mortality, the United States ranks subpar on a global scale.

When it comes to health care, the saying, “more money, more problems” holds true. Based on these rates, it’s obvious that expensive drugs and invasive surgeries are not always the answer. Luca Lorenzoni, health economist at the OECD Health Division explains, “the U.S. is an outlier in terms of the complexity of its health system, which employs diverse insurance programs, payment systems, and a wide range of systems.” A worthwhile approach to closing the gap and reversing the contradiction could lie in alternative medicine.