We live in an America where the systems are failing, and the quality of life is decreasing due to the wealthy taking everything for themselves. One of the most pressing and complicated issues is our healthcare system. It’s no longer just a conversation about rising costs or insurance premiums—it’s a matter of life and death for many Americans.
Recently, the nation was shaken by the news that a United Healthcare CEO was shot on the streets of New York. The incident made headlines across the globe, and the reactions from the public were telling. While I never condone violence, I can understand why this happened. I do not excuse the shooter’s behavior, but it’s impossible to ignore the deep frustrations that so many of us feel with a system designed to benefit a few at the expense of the many.
A Personal Nightmare with United Healthcare
I recently had my own experience with United Healthcare, which left me both enraged and heartbroken. The story of delays, bureaucracy, lies, and outright negligence illustrates why people are losing faith in the system.
I have an aneurysm in my heart that requires annual checkups to ensure it isn’t expanding—a checkup that could mean the difference between life and death. I scheduled my annual appointment a year in advance, only to have it canceled the day before because my doctor no longer worked on the day I scheduled. After two hours on hold, I rescheduled, but it took three months to get a new appointment.
When the day finally arrived, I faced another obstacle: an entire parking lot that delayed me by 20 minutes. After parking in a spot meant for electric cars to avoid having my appointment canceled, I walked in only to be told I needed a referral—a referral that I should have been informed about two days earlier—on a Sunday. After arguing with the staff about their lack of notification, I left, furious and defeated.
The nightmare didn’t end there. I discovered that my primary care physician was no longer covered under United Healthcare. Finding a new doctor meant wading through a directory filled with outdated phone numbers and long wait times. The earliest appointment I could secure was six months out, and only after that could I begin scheduling my life-saving cardiologist visit—a total wait time of nine months. At that time, my aneurysm could expand, and I could die. This is the reality of healthcare in America.
A System Designed to Fail
Experiences like mine are common. Across the country, people are encountering similar hurdles, leaving them to feel like their lives—and their children’s lives—don’t matter. We are the backbone of this country; the wealthy wouldn’t have their fortunes without the work we provide. Yet, the healthcare system is intentionally understaffed to maximize profits for corporations, leaving the rest of us to suffer.
This results from a system where CEOs and executives make decisions about our health incentivized to prioritize profits over people. It’s worth noting that the number one career for psychopaths is CEO. The very people running these healthcare systems often lack the empathy required to understand the devastating impact of their policies.
Why the Public’s Sympathy Is Waning
The shooting of the United Healthcare CEO has sparked mixed feelings across the country. While violence is never the answer, it’s hard to ignore the frustration that many feel toward the healthcare system. For years, Americans have watched executives in positions of power rake in millions while the average person struggles to navigate a broken system. When people feel like their lives are disposable, and our government is too busy squabbling about culture wars, it’s no wonder tensions have reached a boiling point.
It’s not about excusing the shooter—it’s about understanding the deeper, systemic issues that led to such a tragic event. As healthcare costs rise and accessibility dwindles, the public’s anger grows. They see the wealth of CEOs who profit from denying claims, cutting services, and prioritizing shareholders over patients. And they see their own lives, or the lives of their loved ones, treated as collateral damage in a system that values profits over people.
The Mental Health Toll of a Broken System
The failures of the healthcare system don't just impact physical health—they take an enormous toll on mental health as well. Navigating a system filled with roadblocks, delays, and denials leaves people feeling powerless, frustrated, and dehumanized. The stress of not being able to access life-saving care creates a ripple effect, exacerbating anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness.
For those already struggling with mental health issues, the challenges are compounded, as seeking help for mental health is often just as tricky as addressing physical ailments. Finding an available therapist or psychiatrist can take months, with many providers not accepting insurance or charging rates so high they are unaffordable for the average person. Even those with insurance are often denied coverage for mental health services, deemed "non-essential" by the same corporations profiting from this misery. This vicious cycle leaves many without the care they need, reinforcing the message that their well-being doesn’t matter.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The healthcare system in America isn’t just failing—it’s killing us. Stories like mine are far too common, and they paint a grim picture of a system that prioritizes money over human lives. The wealthy and powerful have designed a system that works for them, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces. These issues will persist until we demand better policies, representation, and systems.
We need a healthcare system that values people over profits and is staffed by leaders who understand the importance of empathy and compassion. Until that happens, tensions will continue to grow, and stories of frustration and despair will only multiply.
If you’ve experienced similar struggles, know that you’re not alone. It’s time to speak out, demand change, and hold the systems accountable for the harm they’ve caused. We can fight for a better future where life is valued, not commodified.
The Grim Reality: Why Sympathy Is Hard to Find
So, why should we have sympathy for this man who was killed? He didn’t have any sympathy for any of the people that have died under his policies. His policies are the reason I was denied my appointment today. His decisions are the reason millions of Americans have died unnecessarily under his watch—deaths that could have been prevented if the healthcare system prioritized lives over profits. I’ve heard people say, “They want to kill us; they want to kill all of us.” While that may sound exaggerated, the truth is clear: they don’t care about our health. They care about their profits.
Quantifying the exact number of unnecessary deaths directly attributable to UnitedHealthcare's policies is challenging due to the complex interplay of factors involved. However, reports indicate that UnitedHealthcare denies many claims, with estimates suggesting the insurer refused approximately one-third of submitted claims. Such high denial rates can lead to delays or denials of essential medical treatments, potentially resulting in adverse health outcomes, including preventable deaths.
UnitedHealthcare has faced criticism for employing artificial intelligence algorithms to automate claim denials, a practice linked to patients' inability to access necessary medical care. While specific mortality figures are not readily available, the combination of high claim denial rates and automated denial practices suggests a substantial impact on patient health and survival.
While precise statistics are elusive, the policies and practices of UnitedHealthcare have likely contributed to numerous preventable deaths by restricting access to critical medical services.
So tell me, why should we care? Executives like him can make one phone call and have private doctors at their homes within the hour—no wait, no hassle, no problem. But for the average person, good luck. You may get the care you need if you survive the gauntlet of delays, denials, and endless bureaucracy. If you happen to die while you are waiting for your appointment, you’re considered to be just another workhorse they’ll replace without a second thought. This stark disparity leaves many wondering—why extend sympathy to someone who showed none for the people they were supposed to serve?
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