Joe Rogan held nothing back in a recent episode of his podcast featuring singer-songwriter Jesse Welles, slamming the U.S. health insurance system and the corporate forces behind it. The two discussed the greed, frustration, and widespread distrust that have come to define the American healthcare experience.
Criticism Sparked By A Viral Song
The conversation was sparked by Welles' viral Instagram song criticizing health insurance companies, particularly UnitedHealthcare (NYSE:UNH). Rogan praised Welles for capturing the cultural moment. "Lyrics and the timing of it all … that song to me was like, yeah, that's what the f*** is going on," Rogan said. "They don’t give a sh*t about you and they’re just trying to make money."
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Rogan said that the public’s reaction to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson—where some people celebrated it—shows how deeply people feel wronged by the system. "It must mean something is up if people are celebrating somebody’s death," Welles added.
Rogan agreed, saying the outrage cuts across politics. "And across both sides of the aisle. It’s not a political thing. It is a human thing," he said. "They take your money, you pay them, and then when something comes up, you don’t get covered." He pointed out that fighting denied claims in court is nearly impossible for most people. "They have a lot of money. And now they’re using AI to make sure they pay less," he said.
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Debating Solutions And Trade-Offs
Welles argued that the system would need to be rebuilt entirely. "You can’t have health for profit," he said. "You'd have to socialize the medicine."
Rogan partly agreed but raised concerns about motivation and quality under a socialized model. "You want to go to a guy who does the Lakers," he said. "He drives a Mercedes because he makes a lot of money doing what he’s doing. You don’t want someone to not feel appreciated, not have the motivation to continue to get really great at their craft."
Still, both agreed the current model is abusive and unsustainable. "You just don't want to have to go to an urgent care and it cost $500 to get a pack of antibiotics," Welles said. Rogan responded, "100%. Well, that’s a giant scam. That’s only part of the scam. You know, the healthcare scam goes deep. There’s so many different layers to this horrible den of vampires."
Rogan's criticism of the healthcare industry extends beyond the Welles episode. In a July conversation with comedian Joe DeRosa, Rogan compared the system to a gamble where you’re left hoping a company designed to avoid paying out will suddenly do the right thing. "The insurance gamble is the craziest gamble ever," he said. "I'm going to pay you every month and hopefully you'll be kind enough to cover my insurance if something goes wrong."
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