"I couldn't have survived if I was in America."
That's what one woman concluded in a video published Wednesday by the New York Times' opinion section, after recounting the weeks she spent in the hospital as a child being treated for a brain virus.
She was just one of several people from around the world who participated in the Times project. Throughout the video, residents of Canada, Finland, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom respond to the high costs of healthcare in the for-profit U.S. system.
The United States is the only industrialized country in the world without universal health coverage. While the stars of the Times video were shocked and outraged upon learning how much care costs in the so-called "land of the free," progressives in the U.S. responded with calls for Medicare for All.
"No one in America should vote for politicians who choose to subject us to this," Briahna Joy Gray tweeted in response to the video. The Bad Faith podcast co-host and Current Affairs contributing editor served as press secretary to the 2020 presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime champion of Medicare for All.
In the video, residents of various countries reviewed some private health insurance options for U.S. residents and tried to make sense of terms like copay, deductible, and OOP max, which stands for out-of-pocket maximum, or the highest amount of money enrollees have to pay annually for healthcare services covered by their plan.
People for Bernie, which grew out of Sanders' 2016 run for president, also shared the video and asserted that the "acceptable OOP max is $0."
Some people in the U.S. praised the video as "so, so good" and "very well done." Waleed Shahid of Justice Democrats called it an "excellent video about the cruelty and inefficiency of our healthcare system."
Others echoed the outrage of video participants. As NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue put it: "The definition of insanity is this."
In the video, a man in Sweden contrasts the healthcare system in his country with that of the United States. "To know that I can get sick, I can get injured, but I will still be taken care of, that is freedom," he says. "This is not freedom."
Despite conclusions from policymakers and medical expertsincluding a Lancet panel in Februarythat "single-payer, Medicare for All reform is the only way forward," President Joe Biden has made clear he opposes that path to universal coverage.
Biden unveiled his American Families Plan early Wednesday. Despite pressure from progressives in the House and Senate as well as dozens of advocacy groups, he declined to include an expansion of Medicare and drug pricing reforms in the plan.
Ahead of Biden's Wednesday night address to Congress, Sanders declared in a video from his Senate office that "we've got to deal with healthcare."
"We remain the only major country on Earth not to guarantee healthcare to all people as a human right," he said. "We pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. We have got to summon up the courage to take on the healthcare industry, the pharmaceutical industry."
"My own view, as you know, is that we need a Medicare for All, single-payer system," the Senate Budget Committee chair added, expressing hope that lawmakers can begin that process by expanding the programby both lowering the eligibility age from 65 and including dental, hearing, and vision benefits.
"We pay for that by demanding that Medicare start negotiating prescription drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry," Sanders explained, citing estimates that the reform would raise $450 billion over a decade.
Continued here:
- Free Download MP3 Album Sublime - Sublime To Freedom [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2010]
- Braveheart In Defiance Of The English Tyranny! BRAVO [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2011]
- rage against the machine - freedom [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2011]
- Richie Havens, Freedom, (Woodstock) [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2011]
- Dodge Challenger Freedom Commercial [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Twelve Girls Band - Freedom [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Akon "Freedom" 2009 [Last Updated On: May 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 22nd, 2011]
- Paul McCartney - Freedom (Nobel Peace Prize '2001) [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2011]
- Jimi Hendrix- Freedom [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2011]
- Braveheart freedom speech -- Matt [Last Updated On: June 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 3rd, 2011]
- freedom 101 [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2011]
- Dj Andi and Stella-Freedom(Summer Hit)+lyrics [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2011]
- Braveheart Freedom Short [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2011]
- LOVE PSYCHEDELICO - Freedom, featuring Christopher Yates [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2011]
- Alice Cooper - Freedom [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2011]
- "Freedom Rallies" Honored in Williamston — North Carolina Public Radio WUNC [Last Updated On: July 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 11th, 2011]
- Looking For Freedom - David Hasselhoff [Last Updated On: July 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 14th, 2011]
- Braveheart - FREEDOM scene [Last Updated On: July 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 22nd, 2011]
- Amanda Knox: 'Another Day Closer to Freedom' [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2011]
- Sugababes - Freedom [Last Updated On: September 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2011]
- Freedom River [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Wham! - Freedom [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Sistars - Freedom [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2011]
- All Stars - Freedom (Theme from Panther) [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2011]
- Richie Havens Sings "Freedom" [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2011]
- Nokia N8 Pink - Freedom [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2011]
- Wham! - Freedom with Lyrics [Last Updated On: October 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 12th, 2011]
- Make Mine Freedom (1948) - Video [Last Updated On: October 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 13th, 2011]
- Jason Upton - Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: October 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 18th, 2011]
- Devo - Freedom Of Choice (Video) - Video [Last Updated On: October 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 19th, 2011]
- Michael McDonald - Sweet Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2011]
- DJ BOBO - FREEDOM 1995 - Video [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2011]
- George Michael FREEDOM '90 - Video [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2011]
- Episode One: Economic Freedom [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2011]
- FFVII Crisis Core Soundtrack: The Price of Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2011]
- Alain Clark - For Freedom (Official Video) - Video [Last Updated On: October 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 27th, 2011]
- Bob Sinclar [Last Updated On: October 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 28th, 2011]
- For Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: October 30th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 30th, 2011]
- Braveheart Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2011]
- Wyclef Jean - "Freedom" (Song For Egypt) - Video [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2011]
- Land And Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2011]
- Dan Balan - Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: November 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 9th, 2011]
- Paul McCartney-Freedom+Let It Be@Concert For New York City - Video [Last Updated On: November 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 14th, 2011]
- New Life Worship - It Was For Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: November 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: November 26th, 2011]
- Laboratory pups get first taste of freedom in US. - Video [Last Updated On: December 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 7th, 2011]
- Jackson Browne Performs "I Am A Patriot" at Freedom Plaza (12.05.2012) HD - Video [Last Updated On: December 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 7th, 2011]
- Give-Me-Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: December 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 8th, 2011]
- Jesus Culture - Freedom Reigns - Video [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2011]
- rage against the machine - Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: December 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 22nd, 2011]
- Doug Stanhope on Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2011]
- The Beautiful Girls - Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: December 27th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 27th, 2011]
- Michael Heart - "Freedom" - EXCLUSIVE OFFICIAL VIDEO - Video [Last Updated On: December 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 29th, 2011]
- Wham! - Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: December 31st, 2011] [Originally Added On: December 31st, 2011]
- Richie Havens 1969 Woodstock - Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2012]
- Freedom ! - Video [Last Updated On: January 8th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 8th, 2012]
- Elton John- Philadelphia Freedom - Video [Last Updated On: January 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 10th, 2012]
- [M/V] ITAEWON FREEDOM (with JY Park) - Video [Last Updated On: January 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 12th, 2012]
- Pharoah Sanders "You Got To Have Freedom" (1980) - Video [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2012]
- Freedom Environmental Services, Inc. Signs Service Contracts With 14 Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q Franchisees [Last Updated On: January 28th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 28th, 2012]
- Pope's peace doves slow to taste freedom [Last Updated On: January 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 30th, 2012]
- Why is Feb. 1 designated as National Freedom Day? [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2012]
- Marcia G. Yerman: 'Chimes of Freedom' Celebrates the Power of Music and Activism [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2012]
- Complaints boss urges UK press freedom [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2012]
- New Freedom museum opens Saturday [Last Updated On: February 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 3rd, 2012]
- Underground Railroad Freedom Center battling tough times [Last Updated On: February 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 3rd, 2012]
- Freedom High School boys basketball team beats Easton Area High School [Last Updated On: February 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 3rd, 2012]
- Warship Freedom again breaks down at sea [Last Updated On: February 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 4th, 2012]
- Freedom gymnasts set school record, win Cedar Run title [Last Updated On: February 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 4th, 2012]
- Freedom tops FVL, takes hold of EVC [Last Updated On: February 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 4th, 2012]
- Freedom claims SMAC wrestling tourney title [Last Updated On: February 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 5th, 2012]
- Freedom Week In Bradley County [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Freedom Total Knee(R) System Receives Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Award for "Product Differentiation Excellence ... [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Covert to Overt: 'Revolt how-to' earns big for US freedom factory - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Ron Paul Interview On Freedom Watch 01/30/12 - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Tortured Freedom: Libya's new rulers resort to old tactics - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- End the TSA for Freedom and Human Dignity - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Were Run by Ruthless, Freedom Hating, Dangerous Scum! 3/3 - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Were Run by Ruthless, Freedom Hating, Dangerous Scum! 1/3 - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Defend our freedom to share (or why SOPA is a bad idea) - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]
- Biden on Internet Freedom Anti SOPA - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2012]