Our health is our most valuable treasure, so we trust the government to help protect it by ensuring access to quality services. When that trust is broken, we’re left feeling vulnerable, frustrated, and sometimes even helpless.
In the U.S., these emotions have reached a boiling point during the ongoing trial of Luigi Mangione, who is being accused of killing the CEO of the health insurance giant UnitedHealthcare.
Intrigued by the widespread public interest in the case, we delved into online discussions to understand why so many people are invested in it. What we found were entire threads of individuals sharing their disappointment in the system. Continue scrolling to check out the stories and our conversation with Dr. Iris Gorfinkel.
#1
Had a precancerous lump growing in my chest, my health insurance said it wasn't developed enough to be covered and would be considered cosmetic unless it became larger.... so i had to pay for the entire procedure myself in order to prevent a possibly cancerous lump from growing.
F*****g jerkoffs.
F*****g jerkoffs.
59points
According to Iris Gorfinkel, M.D. who is a general practitioner, medical researcher, and the founder of PrimeHealth Family Practice and Clinical Research, a well-functioning healthcare system needs to have multiple features, namely, it has to be accessible and affordable.
"Healthcare needs to be placed where people actually live and it should also be affordable so that nobody is penalized for preventing tomorrow's problems right now," Dr. Gorfinkel told Bored Panda.
"So, the ideal system invests heavily into prevention, not just treatment," she explained. "The system should screen people for cancer, it should provide them with vaccines, test for diabetes and h**h blood pressure, not to mention addictions and mental health issues — these things should also be addressed early in their development to prevent patients from becoming suicidal, or even worse."
#2
I work in healthcare, I see the worst things almost every day. The amount of wasted resources trying to get an insurance company to pay for a normal service for a patient is mind boggling. Knowing it doesn’t have to be this way, but because so many people have the attitude that business can do no wrong, I just shake my head.
We could spend so much less money and help so many more people, but the prevailing “I’ve got mine, f**k you!” Attitude continues to hold us back as a nation from being something great.
We could spend so much less money and help so many more people, but the prevailing “I’ve got mine, f**k you!” Attitude continues to hold us back as a nation from being something great.
49points
#3
Went into an ER for a possible miscarriage. I told them I'd had losses before and that I'd like an ultrasound to make sure everything was ok. I'd had these cramps before with my loss before that one.
They refused to check and make sure everything was ok, only did a d******k pregnancy test, even though I told them I was pregnant. And then they wouldn't listen when I said I had no UTI, that I was going to lose my child. THEY TESTED FOR A UTI ANYWAY. (It came back negative like I said it would.)
They also decided to have the nurses press and squish my uterus to see if I was actually pregnant. I was roughly 8 weeks my uterus isn't even big enough to feel in my abdomen.
They sent me home said I was fine and there was nothing wrong with me even though I insisted.
Why did they not listen you ask??? I wasn't established with a doctor at that hospital, didn't look to be in pain, and was texting my husband and I's roommate.
I ended up in another ER on the fourth of July (two days later) from heavy heavy bleeding and lost my second child.
( I will forever be holding a grudge against that ER. V-day was my due date and my husband's birthday. I should have a child right now.).
They refused to check and make sure everything was ok, only did a d******k pregnancy test, even though I told them I was pregnant. And then they wouldn't listen when I said I had no UTI, that I was going to lose my child. THEY TESTED FOR A UTI ANYWAY. (It came back negative like I said it would.)
They also decided to have the nurses press and squish my uterus to see if I was actually pregnant. I was roughly 8 weeks my uterus isn't even big enough to feel in my abdomen.
They sent me home said I was fine and there was nothing wrong with me even though I insisted.
Why did they not listen you ask??? I wasn't established with a doctor at that hospital, didn't look to be in pain, and was texting my husband and I's roommate.
I ended up in another ER on the fourth of July (two days later) from heavy heavy bleeding and lost my second child.
( I will forever be holding a grudge against that ER. V-day was my due date and my husband's birthday. I should have a child right now.).
48points
Sadly, there's a gap between reality and the ideal—Americans' opinion of the quality of healthcare in the country is now at its lowest point since 2001, Gallup found.
Currently, 44% of U.S. adults say the quality of the system is excellent (11%) or good (33%). This figure has dropped by a total of 10 percentage points since 2020 after steadily declining each year.
Between 2001 and 2020, the share of people who viewed it positively ranged between 52% and 62%. However, the majority—54%—now describe it negatively as fair (38%) or poor (16%).
#4
Going to the pharmacy (CVS) and being told my generic medication that I am paying cash for is $216. When I say I can get it at Costco for $7 (true), they say hold on, just a minute, then come back and tell me ok, it will be $9.99. Wait, so you're making more than $200 profit on this generic medication? That's sick.
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41points
#5
I was in a horrible place mentally. I was s**cidal and having anxiety attacks for the first time in my life.
Acting on the advice of my mother, I walked my broke a*s into the nearest hospital and checked myself in. Keep in mind I have no money and no health insurance.
2 hours laying in a hospital bed and a xanax or two later I was released. The next month I received a bill for over $7,000. I was in shock. How could a 2 hour stay at the hospital amount to that much? Especially when it felt like I could get better accommodations at a Motel 6. To this day, I am still in debt. It disgusts me.
Acting on the advice of my mother, I walked my broke a*s into the nearest hospital and checked myself in. Keep in mind I have no money and no health insurance.
2 hours laying in a hospital bed and a xanax or two later I was released. The next month I received a bill for over $7,000. I was in shock. How could a 2 hour stay at the hospital amount to that much? Especially when it felt like I could get better accommodations at a Motel 6. To this day, I am still in debt. It disgusts me.
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40points
#6
Trying to afford Epi-pens. Nothing like a few hundred bucks for a one time use device that is necessary to stop anaphylaxis.
35points
As has been the case throughout the 24-year period, Americans rate healthcare coverage in the U.S. even more negatively than they rate quality. Nowadays, just 28% believe it is excellent or good, four points lower than the average since 2001 and well below the 41% h**h point in 2012.
Additionally, less than one in five Americans—19%—say they are satisfied with how much healthcare costs.
#7
Mine's small compared to others, but the uncertainty. Every time I go to the doctor, I never know what I'm going to pay.
I've had lab tests ordered by the doctor, done *in the same office* but it was technically a separate company, and then I turn around three months later and here's a bill for 45 dollars.
No big deal, I can afford it, but... why? Why can't I see up front what things will cost me? And it's constant. Every time I go to the doctor I'm never really sure what I'm going to end up paying.
I honestly get better up front estimations of cost when I take my cat to the vet.
I've had lab tests ordered by the doctor, done *in the same office* but it was technically a separate company, and then I turn around three months later and here's a bill for 45 dollars.
No big deal, I can afford it, but... why? Why can't I see up front what things will cost me? And it's constant. Every time I go to the doctor I'm never really sure what I'm going to end up paying.
I honestly get better up front estimations of cost when I take my cat to the vet.
35points
#8
One year, my insurer decided to stop covering my doctor.
Prior to this things were pretty seamless. The doctors office submitted all my forms; the instance paid them, and I just put the copay in when I left the office or when I got the bill.
That year, I paid more, filed the forms myself, had to fight to get a basic annual checkup covered, and my doctor was subtly encouraging me to find a new personal doctor if the situation persisted.
They kissed and made up by spitting the baby at some arcane level that only makes sense to the MBAs involved, but it was a pain in the a*s and *squarely* the fault of the insurer for trying to save a buck.
That year, they got smacked by a HHS regulation because they were spending *too little* on patient care and therefore dropped my premiums a bit the next year.
They made every medical task a pain for a year, then got caught spending *too little* and had to lower premiums.
Single-payer, yesterday, and tax the rich a******s for trapping us in this h**l for decades in the name of "consumer choice." I didn't have a f*****g choice in any of that, and paid a s**t-ton for the privilege.
Prior to this things were pretty seamless. The doctors office submitted all my forms; the instance paid them, and I just put the copay in when I left the office or when I got the bill.
That year, I paid more, filed the forms myself, had to fight to get a basic annual checkup covered, and my doctor was subtly encouraging me to find a new personal doctor if the situation persisted.
They kissed and made up by spitting the baby at some arcane level that only makes sense to the MBAs involved, but it was a pain in the a*s and *squarely* the fault of the insurer for trying to save a buck.
That year, they got smacked by a HHS regulation because they were spending *too little* on patient care and therefore dropped my premiums a bit the next year.
They made every medical task a pain for a year, then got caught spending *too little* and had to lower premiums.
Single-payer, yesterday, and tax the rich a******s for trapping us in this h**l for decades in the name of "consumer choice." I didn't have a f*****g choice in any of that, and paid a s**t-ton for the privilege.
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33points
Dr. Gorfinkel said the healthcare system shouldn't look at a person's gender, race, or the contents of their wallet, either. "You can be rich or poor, it doesn't matter, you should still be guaranteed quality care."
The doctor added that we should also be able to access and share our medical records with others if we choose to do so. "That way, clinicians can always learn what has been done to the patient in the past and what's worked for them, and the potential mistakes to avoid, whether it's a drug intolerance, or, say, a life-threatening allergy."
Hopefully, with time, stories such as the ones we found within the thread will become more and more rare.
#9
Working in a s****y a*s pharmacy and having to witness people die inside when they discover the price of the their d***s.
Seriously, just two more years and I'm out of this.
Seriously, just two more years and I'm out of this.
33points
#10
I've got gum recession on my molars. My dentist told me I'd need to get it fixed surgically or eventually my teeth would fall out (not to mention the pain of having the roots slowly expose themselves).
As this was a necessary procedure, the dentist and surgeon assumed my insurance would cover it. What actually happened was that, since my teeth weren't already falling out, the surgery was classified as elective. Aetna Dental and Aetna Medical passed the buck back and forth between them until eventually telling me to go f**k myself and pay the ~$1500 out of pocket. Good thing I opted to stay awake during the surgery! That would have cost me another two grand.
The thing that really grinds my gears about this is that my insurance company is basically saying that the correct thing to do would have been to spend another year or so in pain until my mouth was really f****d up, and then they would have considered the procedure necessary enough to help. How is it even in their best interest to discourage people from solving small problems before they turn into huge and more expensive problems?
As this was a necessary procedure, the dentist and surgeon assumed my insurance would cover it. What actually happened was that, since my teeth weren't already falling out, the surgery was classified as elective. Aetna Dental and Aetna Medical passed the buck back and forth between them until eventually telling me to go f**k myself and pay the ~$1500 out of pocket. Good thing I opted to stay awake during the surgery! That would have cost me another two grand.
The thing that really grinds my gears about this is that my insurance company is basically saying that the correct thing to do would have been to spend another year or so in pain until my mouth was really f****d up, and then they would have considered the procedure necessary enough to help. How is it even in their best interest to discourage people from solving small problems before they turn into huge and more expensive problems?
32points
#11
Paying $550 / month at age 31 for healthcare that literally covers nothing until I hit my $8500 deductible.
30points
#12
I'm tired of being a womam and having everything being blamed on my v****a or reproductive system. Both female and male doctors like to brush off pain as being normal, when we know our bodies and we know it's anything but normal. And then you end up with bills for UTIs when you go in for intense acid reflux and food blockages. "We don't know what's going on but you have a UTI, bye." And I have to pay for that s**t because my insurance won't cover it for whatever f****d up reason.
So aggravating. Luckily I was finally diagnosed, but then insurance won't cover the medication because it's "experimental.".
So aggravating. Luckily I was finally diagnosed, but then insurance won't cover the medication because it's "experimental.".
29points
#13
Aetna, in a word. They low-balled on all bills, refused to pay ambulance and ER Doc bills, and told me “well, we don’t think you owe the hospital anything”. Plus the hospital had a very aggressive collections policy (not for profit, my a*s), threatened to turn it over to collection agency, etc. I wrote 4 complaints to the state department of insurance that year, Aetna had to pay bills on 3 of them. F**k them.
28points
#14
My mom got cataracts at age 50 and insurance said she was too young to have them so didn't want to cover them.
28points
#15
Getting a bill from a hospital for a procedure that I never had, for several thousand dollars. Call the hospital, talk to the billing department, they realize it of course could not have been me having this procedure because the person who had it was 30 years older than me, and they will correct the bill. Only to get another notice the next month. Call the hospital again, problem will be corrected. Then a late noticed the following month. Call the hospital again, told the problem will be corrected. Then get another bill the next month, rinse, repeat for 18 months.
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27points
#16
I had back issues and it was radiating down my arm even. So I had to get an MRI. Turns out they ordered the MRI for my middle back (where I felt the pain) but in reality it was coming from my neck. So I had to get another one. I’m fully insured but found out each of those scans cost $800. Oh also the results were I have some minor slipped disks. Rest and stretching is really all I can do. So yea I had to pay $1600 for them to confirm I have a reason that my back hurts... well no s**t.
Bonus:
Last year I dislocated my arm. couldn’t get it back in so I went to the ER. It was pretty busy so I had to wait a while. I went outside and layed on a bench and popped it back in myself. I went back in and told them I no longer needed a doctor. I received a $170 bill...
Bonus:
Last year I dislocated my arm. couldn’t get it back in so I went to the ER. It was pretty busy so I had to wait a while. I went outside and layed on a bench and popped it back in myself. I went back in and told them I no longer needed a doctor. I received a $170 bill...
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26points
#17
I paid $800 for two bags of saline, after insurance, when I was hospitalized for dehydration.
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26points
#18
Went to the hospital when I thought I broke my ankle a few months ago. I’m in that fun income gap where I make too much for assistance but not enough to afford insurance through my employer or on my own. They checked my ankle, made sure it wasn’t broken, put an ace bandage on it, and sent me home. Got the bill a few weeks later and it was $4500. No idea how I’m going to pay it.
25points
#19
The fact that half the country or more is in debt because they went to the hospital and either they don’t have insurance or their insurance won’t pay the bill.
One big giant joke of a system if you ask me. They charge you 300 dollars for an ibuprofen and even for Using the TV at some hospitals.
One big giant joke of a system if you ask me. They charge you 300 dollars for an ibuprofen and even for Using the TV at some hospitals.
25points
#20
Dad wasn't on blood pressure meds because of no insurance and couldn't afford the doctor and meds. Wound up having a stroke. Hospital pressured me for a couple weeks to get him out of the hospital and into a nursing home, but a couple of them wanted $10k-15k up front which we didn't have. Most nursing homes didn't even know how much they charged uninsured patients or just wouldn't even talk to us. Eventually the blood clot in his brain broke up enough that he was able to do a little bit on his own so he could just stay with a friend who was a nurse until he had enough rehab to live on his own.
Eventually got a bill from the hospital for several hundred thousand dollars for his 3 week stay. When he told them he had no insurance and couldn't afford it, they dropped it to about $65k as if the first bill was just a wild guess seeing if we'd pay it. He'll be paying it out of his retirement savings until he goes broke or dies.
Eventually got a bill from the hospital for several hundred thousand dollars for his 3 week stay. When he told them he had no insurance and couldn't afford it, they dropped it to about $65k as if the first bill was just a wild guess seeing if we'd pay it. He'll be paying it out of his retirement savings until he goes broke or dies.
24points