President Trump's COVID care vs. the average American
Since President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis, many Americans have begun to point out the differences in the quality of treatment he received and the treatment of the average person. President Trump was diagnosed with the virus on October 2nd, 2020, and in less than twenty-four hours he was ushered to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
At the hospital, President Trump received the highest quality care: from helicopter rides and testing and imaging, to oxygen, steroids, and experimental drug treatments. He also received antiviral treatment and a steroid: usually reserved for only severe coronavirus cases. One of these experimental drug treatments—Regeneron—is still not available to the public. During his stay at Walter Reed, President Trump also lived in a six-room suite and was provided with around-the-clock care.
For the average American diagnosed with COVID-19, their treatment looks strikingly different in comparison. To begin, the drug Remdesivir costs $3,210 without insurance and $2,340 with Medicare and Medicaid. Additionally, the antibody treatment Regeneron is only available to those granted “compassionate use,” meaning the average American wouldn't have the privilege of using it. The average cost of similar drugs is $96,731, according to a study in the Global Journal on Quality and Safety in Healthcare. Lastly, Fair Health estimates that the average coronavirus hospital cost per American over 60 years old is $61,000 without insurance, which becomes an immeasurable financial burden on countless Americans.
In comparison, the treatment given to President Trump would cost at least $163,241. President Trump most likely took advantage of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, of which the government pays for the majority of costs. For most people, this cost would leave them in deep debt, especially for the 7.9% of Americans who are uninsured.
It’s also important to consider President Trump's reaction to his contraction of the virus, as well as his attitude towards it in the past. He rarely wore masks even after they were proven to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. On October 5th, Trump tweeted before returning to the White House: “Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life.” Opponents argue that this tweet could be very misleading for many Americans who don’t have the same health care luxuries during this very dangerous pandemic.
By: Gabriel Day-O’Connell, Emma Bevacqua, and Margaret Young
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