It is no secret that America has long been dominated by capitalist ideals; ideals which have infiltrated further and further into the healthcare system in recent years. This presence of capitalism in the American healthcare system is set to be further facilitated by the presidency of Trump; combined with the increasing prices of medication, this fatal combination creates an uncertain future for many patients in need of vital medication.
One such medication which has come under increasing scrutiny for its recent price hikes is insulin, used widely in injections and insulin pumps for diabetics; these reforms will, inevitably, hit both type one diabetics and type two diabetics hard. Large pharmaceutical companies, such as Lilly, a producer of a brand of insulin called Humalog, have been under fire for hiking prices to a ridiculous degree. Bernie Sanders recently spoke up about the injustice of this system, which has long been dominated by capitalism and the free market. He highlighted that in France, one box composed of five insulin pens costs the equivalent of $70; in America, the very same box and brand can cost as much as $450. One intense worry of many in need of costly medication is that Trump’s plans for healthcare, combined with the rising prices of medication, will break the system and make vital, life-saving medication inaccessible for millions.
The idea of the “American Dream” is infamous worldwide; it encompasses everything about the idyllic, “great” society which Donald Trump suggested he would strive for throughout his campaign for presidency. This idea now seems more distant than ever; the election of Donald Trump as President consolidated this for many Americans, with eight in ten expressing discontent for the future of the society which he is to rework and reconstruct. The illusion that America is now on track to its original “greatness” has largely been overtaken by intense discontent for the system, in which outrage at Trump’s vigorous policies has been rampant and raging since his inauguration less than one month ago.
The bottom line is this: the American healthcare system simply cannot survive under Trump. Basic healthcare is a right; what makes national healthcare systems, such as ours in the UK, so great is that patients such as diabetics can receive a large packet of prescription drugs each month with no bill attached. Of course this varies depending on individual requirements, but for diabetics, prescriptions are always free, as they should be. The combination of rising insulin prices and Trump’s status as President will break the system. Plans under the Drazkowski agreement have already been discussed, in which insurance companies can pick and choose which medications to cover from a list of over sixty illnesses. Diabetes is on this list. Trump is disregarding the concept of freedom of opportunity for all under the “American Dream”; there will be little freedom and little opportunity for those who cannot afford healthcare, should his disastrous plans for the healthcare system go through. Trump is now no longer just playing with the political system; he is now playing with peoples’ lives.
Eleanor Noyce
(Image courtesy of Metro)