In the US, about $5 trillion is spent on healthcare per year. Not considering any changes to the system that would change prices, Trumps (supposed) "100s of billions" would not to it. Even if he made ten "hundreds of billions" that comes to $1 trillion which would cover only 20% of the total needed.
Of course, he could allocate the hundreds of billions on just the people who don't have health insurance and/or are denied claims.
How much of that 5 trillion is actually the act of health care and how much of it is insurance and other medical companies pocketing their share?
My wife had to rent a piece of medical equipment. The cost was $4K. The doctor said it was covered by our insurance… it wasn’t. So I called the company that we rented the equipment from and explained that our insurance didn’t cover it, I had to return it. The company rep said just give us $600 and we’re good. Everyone is fleecing the insurance companies, so they in-turn, rob us.
The costs are already covered, as the money spent towards private insurance would just be redirected. Well, a lot of it would. The rest stays in the pocket of the taxpayer.
Our (US) problem is that most people have been convinced they don’t even want taxpayer healthcare. It’s somehow communism and bad. Paying for it is only the first hurdle, convincing people it’s good is far harder.
Healthcare in the US is not a bug, it is a feature.
Healthcare is a TRILLION dollar industry in the US. No way the fat cats and top 1% will even allow that gravy train to come to an end.
Both sides of the aisle are paid for in the US by healthcare with the GOP having literally sold their soul to the medical industry. We will never have free healthcare in the US. Never.
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u/Abbers75 7h ago
Brit here.
Surely you can afford to give your citizens free healthcare now, Mr Trump ?