Over the weekend, a caravan full of migrants crossed over the border to access the other country’s benefits system.
But in this case, Americans were traveling to Canada for affordable health care.
Quinn Nystrom, a diabetes activist, livetweeted on Saturday and Sunday about the “#CaravanToCanada” in which she and several other friends with diabetes drove from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Ontario to buy cheaper insulin.
“We could’ve ended our #CaravanToCanada in 5 minutes, but unfortunately they charge $300 for insulin,” Nystrom tweeted. “So we will travel another 5 hours north so we will only have to pay $30 for a vial of insulin.”
And the #CaravanToCanada is departing from St. Paul now! Should be getting to Fort Frances, Canada ?? around 3 p.m. to get our insulin. #MNinsulin4all #insulin4all pic.twitter.com/YT15gbyRzL
— Quinn Nystrom (@QuinnNystrom) May 4, 2019
Success! No prescription needed and $150 in total. #CaravanToCanada #insulin4all #OCanada pic.twitter.com/FBwF2nOLx1
— Lija Greenseid, PhD (@Lija27) May 4, 2019
After the group returned to the U.S. on Sunday, Nystrom posted a photo of two insulin vials: The one she purchased in Canada for $30, and the one sold in the States for a whopping $320.
A 5 hr road trip & this is the difference in $ for the same product (they just change the name). Where have we gone wrong America?!? We should be ashamed as a country that this is a solvable issue, and nothing has been done to make it more affordable. #insulin4all #MNinsulin4all pic.twitter.com/7nv3bRLnzP
— Quinn Nystrom (@QuinnNystrom) May 5, 2019
The cost of insulin in the U.S. has tripled over the past decade, as Vox details. Millions of Americans rely on insulin to combat diabetes, but skyrocketing prices are forcing one in four people to skip doses.
Unlike President Donald Trump, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau didn’t react to the caravan crossers with furious tweets and troops sent to the border.
H/t Newsweek.
