Watching the democratic primary debate this week, I kept in mind much of what we learned in class. As such, I was disappointed in the representation that Medicare-for-all received. I was disappointed because I felt like the conversation was disingenuous. While I understand that the economics of a plan like Medicare-for-all are complex, the majority of candidates simply referred to seemingly random price tags in 15 trillion dollar intervals. They did not disclose how their estimates were generated, or what types of costs were included or excluded. Even the proponents of Medicare-for-all did not make, what I felt, were effective arguments about their proposed policy. While I personally believe that healthcare is a basic human right, and that universal healthcare is something we should pursue in this country, I also believe that we need to have educated and thorough conversations about it before the American people make their choice.

An additional frustration of mine is that discussion surrounding domestic policy is not held to the same level of evidence or rigor that, for example, medicine is. The majority of individuals in this country are not healthcare professionals or economists, most haven’t graduated college. They rely on experts and politicians to present them with the facts, problems, and potential solutions. Not only does disingenuous debate make educated decision making impossible, it also erodes the public’s trust in its institutions. For example, when the president tweets that vaccines are linked to autism, this clearly damages the message of other healthcare organizations, and potentially contributes to the return of preventable diseases. This erosion of trust can be compounded upon in certain communities and populations that have been systematically wronged by our healthcare system and government in the past.

The healthcare system in American in not on par with other peer nations and our patients are suffering from it. Without candid discussions about the benefits, risks, and costs of future policies, progress will be stalled at the very least. Unfortunately, I don’t have any solutions regarding fixing the political system. However, we as healthcare providers can play a role by educating ourselves, sharing our experiences, advocating for our patients, and establishing trust with our communities. I have seen the impact that a compassionate pharmacist can have on their patients and the surrounding community, and believe that we have an opportunity to impact healthcare policy and population health as well.