Ahjamu Umi: The HealthCare System Extorts and Profits out of Peoples Suffering

Blossom of Thought

Ahjamu Umi returns to the show to talk about the insurance industry from a Pan-African perspective, at the wake of the killing of the United health care CEO Brian Thompson. Ajamu is an organizer for over 40 years with the All African People’s Revolutionary Party. Ahjamu is an author, and his recent work, which has been gaining more attention and traction after the re-election of Donald Trump is title “A guide for Organizing Defense Against White SUpremacy, Patriarchy, and Fascist Violence” - a manifesto designed to provide guidance for how to organize neighborhoods on a block by block basis.

Ahjamu speaks about the genesis and the historical development of the insurance industry on the backs of Africans. He argues that it is an industry that extorts and exploits the people to make super profits - just as it has been said that all insurance companies have an incentive to chisel their customers in order to increase profits as apparent in the government data below:

• National Health Expenditure (NHE) grew 7.5% to $4.9 trillion in 2023, or $14,570 per person, and accounted for 17.6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

• Out of pocket spending grew 7.2% to $505.7 billion in 2023, or 10 percent of total NHE.

• Prescription drug spending increased 11.4% to $449.7 billion in 2023, faster than the 7.8% growth in 2022.

Ahjamu also speaks about other industries that feed off or support the insurance industry, namely, the Collection Agencies, lawyers, etc. Regulation is not the solution here since these companies outlive regulation, says Ahjamu. In the final analysis, political education and organizing, says Ahjamu, will advance the masses towards liberation not one person shooting another.

To interact with Ahjamu and his writing, go to https://www.abetterworld.me/

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