Joe Rogan isn’t shy about where he stands on healthcare—and it’s not what some might expect. On a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the podcast host made it known that he believes everyone should have access to medical care, no matter their income level.
‘It Should Be a Part of Our Agreement to Take Care of Each Other’
Talking to Chris Williamson, host of the “Modern Wisdom” podcast, Rogan laid out his view that healthcare should be publicly funded.
“I think healthcare 100% should be socially funded,” he said. “Having programs where people who are hurt can get an operation and it’s not going to bankrupt them for the rest of their life—that should be part of our agreement to take care of each other.”
He compared it to the fire department. “You give your tax dollars, and the fire department fairly puts out fires for everybody. They don’t not put out your fire because you don’t have any money,” Rogan said.
Rogan talked about healthcare two weeks ago, and he mentioned the same example of the fire department.
The U.S. System Feels ‘Barbaric’
His guest, Williamson, who is from the U.K., said the American healthcare system can feel inhumane compared to the National Health Service. “It feels f barbaric. It is. It really does feel barbaric.”
He recalled a ghost tour in New Orleans where the guide told him he had a chipped tooth and his girlfriend was recently in a car accident. The guide explained that if you don’t have insurance in the U.S., you’d better be able to “walk it off,” or it could ruin your life financially.
Medical Debt and Corporate Influence
Rogan pointed out that medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in America. He also criticized what he sees as a revolving door between the Food and Drug Administration and big pharmaceutical companies.
“How is that legal?” he asked. “When you realize that doctors are incentivized to medicate people… there’s a lot of creepy s*** that’s involved in medicine.”
They also touched on the ban of compounded versions of popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. Rogan argued that this ban is just another way to protect corporate profits and eliminate cheaper alternatives.
‘You Want That Guy Who Fixes the Lakers’ Knees’
Despite his stance on universal healthcare, Rogan doesn’t think competition should be eliminated.
“I want my doctor to be a bad motherf***er who drives a Mercedes,” he joked. “I want him to be really good… the guy who fixes the Lakers’ knees.”
His point was that excellence and fairness can coexist. Society can ensure access while still rewarding skill and hard work.
A System That Actually Helps People
At the end of the day, Rogan believes in systems that support people when they need it most.
“With the amount of money we spend on so many things we all agree are f*, maybe some of that could be freed up,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with giving people healthcare.”
As debates over healthcare continue, Rogan’s position is simple: Nobody should lose everything just because they needed surgery.