Here's a curious measure of American priorities: while 85 million people in this country can't get proper health insurance, dogs are getting thousand-dollar grooming sessions. That's the contrast Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) decided to spotlight this week, and it's a pretty effective way to make a point about who—or what—gets access to care.
Sanders shared a New York Times article titled "A $1,000 Dog Grooming Session? The Pet Wellness Industry Is Booming" on the social media platform X. The piece details how pet owners are increasingly treating their animals to luxury services, from spa-like grooming to specialized diets and veterinary care, a trend fueled by seeing pets as family members.
"I am delighted that dogs are able to receive high-quality health care. But what about humans?" Sanders wrote. He followed up with the stark numbers: "In America today, 85 million are uninsured or under-insured. Health care must be considered a human right. We need Medicare for All, NOW." It's a classic Sanders move—using a vivid, slightly absurd example to highlight a systemic failure.
He wasn't the only lawmaker talking about health care costs this week, though the focus often shifted to political blame. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) criticized former President Donald Trump on X, arguing that after policies that he says doubled health care premiums, actions in the Middle East were now driving up gas prices. "Is he trying to make your life more expensive?" Warnock asked.
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) also took aim, condemning what he called Trump's war in Iran, which he said had already cost $5 billion. Merkley argued that spending benefited the defense industry while leading to cuts in health care and food assistance for millions of Americans.
Last month, Representative Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) warned that Americans were being distracted from rising insurance costs as political attention shifted to other topics. He called Trump "a master of distraction" and pointed to Congress's efforts to extend premium tax credits as a legislative win.
In a separate development, Trump himself launched a new website, trumprx.gov, designed to help consumers find more affordable prescription medications. The site allows users to search for drugs, view discounted prices, and print coupons for use at pharmacies or manufacturers' websites. Trump said the site would help Americans "save a lot of money and be healthy."
So, the conversation around health care this week had a few threads: one about the sheer inequality of access, highlighted by Sanders's pet-care comparison; another about the political finger-pointing over who's to blame for high costs; and a third about a new tool aimed at providing some relief for drug prices. It's a messy picture, but Sanders's core question—why can't we guarantee care for people when we're willing to spend lavishly on our pets?—is a pretty straightforward one.
