Is laughter really the best medicine? Sadly, it is mightily needed to offset these tragic “health care” experiences. While it’s easy to shake our heads at the absurdity of the American healthcare system, it’s hard to laugh at its outrageous and often heartbreaking impact on patients.
Can you imagine being charged to hold your newborn after delivery? Or repossessing a veteran’s prosthetic legs because he couldn’t afford the copay?
How about the woman who was charged $40 for crying during her doctor visit? In this and in another case, patients were charged for a “brief emotional/behavorial assessment.” This insidious and much abused billing code is often used to pad the bill. And while the charges are low and easily overlooked, they add up to millions of dollars in profits.
Under our dystopian healthcare system, Americans suffer from staggering medical debt and forego needed medications, mental health care, and life-saving surgeries they cannot afford.
Still laughing? We didn’t think so.
