Here’s a bold statement: The 2026 midterm elections won’t be decided by catchy political labels like ‘Soccer Moms’ or ‘Bernie Bros.’ Instead, they’ll be shaped by a far more pressing issue—the millions of Americans trapped in a healthcare system that prioritizes profits over people. And this is the part most people miss: It’s not broken; it was built this way. Let me explain.
Since the 1973 HMO Act under President Nixon, the U.S. healthcare system has been designed to funnel money upward, leaving patients at the bottom. Think about it: the first question you’re asked at a doctor’s office isn’t about your symptoms—it’s ‘What insurance do you have?’ This isn’t an accident; it’s by design. But here’s where it gets controversial: America is the only developed nation where health insurance is tied to employment, where healthcare isn’t a right, and where a single diagnosis can bankrupt a family. Is this the system we want to defend, or is it time to demand better?
Consider the facts: Two-thirds of all bankruptcies in the U.S. are due to medical debt. Doctors are overworked, pharmacies are understaffed, and nurses are leaving the field in droves. Meanwhile, shareholders are thriving. The system feels less like a safety net and more like a rigged game—one where the young and healthy gamble on staying well, and the losers turn to GoFundMe or bankruptcy. Sound familiar? It’s starting to feel like The Hunger Games, but with hospital bills instead of arrows.
Take the case of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson, whose murder last year led to a shareholder lawsuit. Why? Because the company dared to shift away from aggressive claim denials that prioritized profits over patients. Or look at the Affordable Care Act (ACA): premiums are projected to skyrocket by 114% in 2026, leaving one in four enrollees considering dropping coverage altogether if subsidies aren’t extended. Here’s the kicker: Cynthia Cox of KFF predicts that ACA enrollees in swing districts could ‘make or break’ the election. But it’s not just about swing districts—it’s about the millions of Americans who are sick, tired, and ready to vote for lawmakers who actually have their backs.
For 20 years, I’ve worked with cancer patients and survivors through Stupid Cancer, and I’ve seen the power of collective outrage. Awareness campaigns aren’t enough anymore. We need a well-funded, powerful lobby—a voting bloc of America’s 19 million cancer patients—to storm statehouses and Congress, demanding legislation that protects our health and our rights. The National Cancer Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act were just the beginning. Now, the fight is to protect ourselves from the very system meant to heal us.
With the ACA on life support, for-profit healthcare creeping into Medicare, and costs skyrocketing, it’s time for a new generation to step up. Imagine what could happen if those facing astronomical premiums joined forces with patients denied coverage for life-saving treatments like chemo, radiation, and surgeries. Together, we could decide who belongs on Capitol Hill fighting for us, not against us.
Here’s a thought-provoking question: What if we treated lawmakers who prioritize profits over patients like the ‘pre-existing conditions’ they are—unacceptable and in need of removal? In 2026, let’s start rigging the system in our favor by voting out those who’ve failed us. See you at the ballot box. The fight for healthcare justice isn’t just about policy—it’s about survival. And it’s time we all showed up.
