I feel like I need to address the recent news regarding the UnitedHealthcare CEO and Luigi Mangione. If what's going around is true, Mangione was in chronic pain, particularly concerning his spine and back. There is no amount of silly memes that will make me justify the romanticization of a man who is actively in debilitating pain, which led him to seek some justice against America's healthcare system.
In 2023, 24.3% of adults in the U.S. had chronic pain. That same year, 8.5% of people reported chronic pain that limited their work and life activities. This is bigger than Luigi's attractiveness, Goodreads account, or Twitter activity. This is about the thousands of Americans living in debilitating chronic pain, drowning in medical debt, and the healthcare system that prioritizes profit over the well-being of Americans.
That's all I have to say at the moment. But know that my heart breaks for everyone silently suffering in pain. All I can hope for is that one day, our healthcare system will prioritize the well-being of all Americans, not just those who can afford it.
