A White House proposal to pay every Greenlander $100,000 if they agree to secede from Denmark would cover one check-up at an American-run medical centre, analysis shows.
Some Greenlanders were initially enticed by the cash offer, but soon changed their minds when they realised seceding to the US would mean enduring the American healthcare system and giving up free universal cover.
Health experts agreed with the analysis, noting that $100,000 would cover an American doctor briefly asking, “So what brings you in today?” before referring the patient to a specialist who is not covered by their insurance.
“A routine visit to a medical centre can include a $4,000 consultation, a $30,000 test to confirm the consultation, and a $66,000 follow-up appointment to explain why the test was necessary in the first place,” one health expert explained.
Trump rejected criticism that the comparison made the US system look bad. “It’s a premium system. Very exclusive. Not everyone can afford to get sick here, and that’s how you know it’s good,” he said.
A White House spokesperson said that while healthcare in America was more expensive, Americans receive more for their money. “In Greenland, they fix you and send you home. It’s over very quickly. Here you get forms, pamphlets, phone calls, threatening letters that say ‘this is not a bill’ but are definitely a bill, follow-up emails asking you to rate your visit out of five stars. It’s very high-end.
“Plus, where else can you experience the excitement of getting asked the name of your insurance provider while you’re unconscious in an ambulance. It’s really quite unique”.
