the governments role in digital health anxiety it wasnt just big pharma that stood to benefit from a population in constant medical panic. the u.s. government, already closely intertwined with healthcare corporations through lobbying and regulatory capture, had its own incentives. increased doctor visits meant more data collection, more insurance claims, and, ultimately, more control over public health behavior. in 2003, the bush administration pushed for widespread electronic medical record adoption, a move that on the surface seemed intended to modernize healthcare but conveniently dovetailed with the explosion of health paranoia fueled by internet searches. the affordable care act of 2010 later solidified these changes by expanding insurance coverage, ensuring that nearly every citizen had financial incentives to engage with the healthcare systemwhether they truly needed to or not.
United States