Trump got free health care — Why can’t the rest of us?

Latest


 
President Trump’s refusal to take responsibility for either the more than 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus or the cost of his special medical treatment after testing positive for the virus highlights everything wrong with health care in America.
The New York Times estimated that Trump’s three-day stint in the hospital would have cost the average American more than $100,000, not to mention “significant surprise bills and medical debt even after the health insurance paid its share.”
With America’s for-profit health care system, about 44 million people have no health insurance, and another 38 million have inadequate health insurance. This means nearly one-third of Americans don’t know if they’ll have medical care when they need it, such as when they get Covid.
(And Trump has been criticized for undermining the efforts to fight the virus. Cristina Hops, a nurse based in Seattle, said, “How dare he [Trump] undermine all of the work that we have done as nurses and health care providers?” She works on the frontlines helping patients battling the coronavirus, spending five weeks this summer in Miami to help a hospital cope with its flood of cases. Hops was horrified after reading a now-infamous tweet that President Donald Trump issued after he left the hospital. Trump told Americans: “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” Hops posted a video expressing her outrage. Within days, it garnered more than 300,000 views on Tik Tok.)
“For Trump, ‘socialized medicine’ is bad for everyone but himself.”
Those were the words of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on October 7. The Vermont Senator pointed out that the excellent care Trump received at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was in “a 100 percent government-funded, government-run hospital.”
If Donald Trump is guaranteed quality health care free of charge, why aren’t the essential workers who clean the White House entitled to free health? Why aren’t all of us?

PT Logo collage
+ Articles by this author

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

‘I Am a Political Prisoner’ Says Jailed Immigrant Rights Activist

In this interview with Democracy Now, Journalist Maria Hinojosa describes her recent interview in an ICE detention center in Colorado with jailed immigration activist Jeanette Vizguerra.

War No More – Veterans Reflect on the Meaning of Memorial Day

Veterans for Peace say wars will not end, – and nuclear war will not be averted – unless there is a sea-change in the thinking of the U.S. people and our political leaders.

Harvard University Stands Up to Illegal Federal Government Actions

Read letter by Harvard President Alan M. Garner, about the University's stance on the Federal government's illegal actions to force Harvard to give up the school's academic independence and academic freedom.

Trump’s Big Cruel, Deadly Policy Bill is a Healthcare Heist

Outrage is rising against Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” that would give massive tax breaks to the rich while slashing Medicaid, nutrition, and clean energy. Some say 14 million people could lose health coverage.

Is FREE Electricity in our Future?

Electricity should be a right, free to all.  Yet, for-profit energy companies set prices to maximize profits to shareholders, even when users can’t afford the prices and suffer shutoffs.

More from the People's Tribune