Avoiding the dreaded doctor?

[Augustus]

(As an interesting aside, Crassus was also responsible for putting down the famous slave rebellion of Spartacus.)

He did well in pop-culture, as he was also the inspiration for the death of Viserys Targaryan in Game of Throne who was killed by having molten gold poured over him. Although the (probably untrue) story says Crassus was made to drink it.

 

[Augustus]

Have you avoided the doctors because you didn’t want to pay or didn’t have insurance?

Having lived in places with universal healthcare and paid healthcare (not America though), one thing that bothers me in the latter is the distrust of people making decisions based on profitability.

My doctor, who works for a major multi-national corporation, admitted they are told to bump up the bills by prescribing as many and as expensive medicines where possible, conducting more tests than are reasonably needed, etc.

None of these are necessarily detrimental to the healthcare process (beyond certain forms of overprescribing), it's just treat them as well but expensively as you can. As most folk are insured, they don't care.

I have no doubt though that many less reputable providers do indeed compromise patients best interests in the name of profitability and that the process leads to harmful overtreatment even including unnecessary operations.

 

[Sirona]

In 2014, my American email/chat pal died from heart failure in her 50's because she couldn't afford the doctor / meds.

 

[SomeRandom]

In 2014, my American email/chat pal died from heart failure in her 50's because she couldn't afford the doctor / meds.

That’s truly heartbreaking