Insurance Industry Bankrolls Third Way’s War on Medicare for All

Third Way, a group long critical of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, is gearing up to spend $15 million in an attempt to curb the momentum of candidates advocating for universal healthcare. While the organization maintains a veil of secrecy regarding its finances, an investigation by Sludge into corporate tax records has exposed a pipeline of industry cash. Among the donors is Better Solutions for Healthcare, a group founded by Republican operative Alexander Schriver, which contributed $50,000 to Third Way’s advocacy arm in 2024.

Financial disclosures also show that the Business Roundtable, a lobbying powerhouse representing CEOs from UnitedHealth, Cigna, and CVS Health, has consistently funneled tens of thousands of dollars into the think tank. These revelations surface just as Third Way president Jonathan Cowan declared the organization is preparing for a "next war" against what he termed "radical, far-left candidates." This rhetoric followed the primary victory of Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan Senate candidate and vocal proponent of Medicare for All.

Critics argue that mainstream media outlets have failed to scrutinize the group’s financial ties, instead framing their opposition to progressive policy as a neutral concern for electability. This narrative ignores mounting research, including a recent Yale University study, which suggests that a Medicare for All system could slash national health expenditures by over $1 trillion annually while significantly improving public health outcomes. Dr. Ed Weisbart of Physicians for a National Health Program noted that such attacks are increasingly disconnected from public sentiment, as voters continue to weigh the benefits of eliminating premiums and deductibles against existing tax burdens.