General Discussion

erronis

(22,856 posts) Fri Jan 23, 2026, 01:19 PM 5 hrs ago

Let's All Enjoy Watching AOC Just Absolutely Destroy A Healthcare Executive

https://www.wonkette.com/p/lets-all-enjoy-watching-aoc-just
Robyn Pennacchia

We're not Ben Shapiro so we're not putting DESTROY in all caps, but we could, and we would not be wrong.

It is currently -6 degrees in Chicago right now, but I feel warm and toasty thanks to my electric blanket and the way Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez just absolutely murdered the face off of CVS Health CEO David Joyner during a House Ways and Means committee hearing with healthcare CEOs on Thursday. I watched all three hours of the hearing, and while there were many other good moments, this was the best of all. Not only because she was good, but because as soon as she started in, Joyner's entire demeanor changed into that of a teenage kid who knows they fucked up and is now getting properly reamed out in the principal's office.

Truly, it was a thing of beauty. (AOC starts at 2:45:00. Thank you, LuckyCharms!)

Ocasio-Cortez, perky as could be, laid out exactly how the "vertical integration" model allows CVS to have complete control over how much consumers pay for every part of their health care, from their premiums to their doctor's visits to their prescriptions. Complete with a visual aid designed by CVS itself!

Behold, the transcript

AOC: Mr. Joyner, you are the CEO of CVS Health. Correct?

Joyner: Correct.

AOC: I actually don't know how many Americans know this, but CVS Health owns Aetna, the health insurance company. Correct?

Joyner: Correct.

AOC: And CVS, which owns Aetna, also owns Oak Street Health Medical Clinics. Correct?

Joyner: Yes, it does.

AOC: And in addition to that, they own, of course, CVS pharmacies and CVS Health, and also own CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit manager, which helps negotiate some of these rebates and prescription prices. Correct?

Joyner: That's correct.

AOC: And CVS Caremark processes nearly 30 percent of all prescriptions in a given year. And so in other words, CVS Caremark helps determine the prices that patients pay for a third of all prescriptions in the US. In fact, I was following one of CVS's recent investor calls where they really laid out quite clearly what this means if you are a patient.

This is what's known as a captive strategy. And CVS, in the investor call, used the example themselves of a patient known as Kate. Kate has an Aetna health insurance plan, right here, which is owned by CVS Health. She then goes to a CVS pharmacy. She's connected to an Oak Street Health medical clinic. She sees a doctor at Oak Street Health who prescribes her medication and then she goes to fill that prescription at a CVS uh pharmacy. So the price Kate pays for that medication is dictated by Aetna, CVS, Caremark and they also own the drug manufacturer Cordivis. Um, Mr. Joyner, this is quite a bit of market concentration. Wouldn't you agree?

Joyner: Um no, I wouldn't agree that it's market concentration. I would suggest it's a model that works really well for the consumer.

AOC: Yeah. Um, I think it works very well for CVS. I think, in fact, you all said on the call that you all call it "a fully engaged member." It's great marketing there. "A fully engaged member unlocks sizable value for payers and CVS Health."