It Was a Lie (Which We Knew, But It's Good to Have It Where We Can Find It)

I don't write about health care (or our so-called health care system) often enough anymore. It barely even makes it onto the topic list in my Twitter round-ups. I suppose the pandemic is partly about health care, but not in the sense I was writing about it in other years, or directly in the sense of how we make sure everyone has access to the care they need for a healthy life.

At an earlier point, I mentioned Wendell Potter, a former CIGNA executive who became a whistleblower on the health insurance industry and who now advocates for Medicare for All. I first saw him on a Bill Moyers show 10 or so years ago.

Today he posted a short Twitter thread, worth quoting in full:

Amid America's COVID-19 disaster, I must come clean about a lie I spread as a health insurance exec: We spent big $$ to push the idea that Canada's single-payer system was awful and the U.S. system much better. It was a lie and the nations' COVID responses prove it. The truth: Canada's doing much better than the U.S. when it comes to COVID testing and treatment. On a per capita basis, more Canadians are being tested and fewer getting sick and dying. This may shock Americans who still believe the lies I told about the Canadian health care system.

Here’s the truth: Our industry PR and lobbying group, AHIP, supplied my colleagues and me with cherry-picked data and anecdotes to make people think Canadians wait endlessly for their care. It’s a lie and I’ll always regret the disservice I did to folks on both sides of the border.

In Canada, no one gets turned away from doctors due to lack of funds. In America, exorbitant bills are a defining feature of the system. What about quality of care? When it comes to COVID, there's been ~ 21 deaths per 100,000 in Canada, versus 34 per 100,000 in the U.S.

Remember, in Canada there are no co-pays, deductibles or co-insurance ever. Care is free at the point of service. And those laid off in Canada don’t face the worry of losing their health insurance. In the U.S., millions are losing their jobs and coverage, and scared to death.

You learn a lot about a healthcare system when a global crisis hits and different nations have different results. Canada’s single-payer system is saving lives. The U.S. profit-driven corporate model is failing.

I'll regret slandering Canada's system for the rest of my life.