If this is America's System, America should be Ashamed of it

   Calling the hospital today to make a payment for my emergency room visit, I was shocked to be told the minimum payment that would be accepted was well over $200. The collector did end up dropping today's fee to $101, but I was left not knowing if that was an acceptable amount, as she said it still could go to collections.
   Now, I've always been told that as long as you are paying some, and doing it every month, they won't go after you, and won't send it to collections.
   What was the total bill for my one-day hospital stay? Close to $20,000, if not that. I believe one of the bills hasn't arrived yet. Now, they adjusted that to maybe about $16,000. And, insurance payed a lot, leaving me about $3,000 or just a little less than that. There was no ambulance ride; That's all just for the one day in the hospital. I'm left thinking I was a total fool to accept being admitted to the hospital after the emergency room visit.
   I went to the hospital because I was experiencing signs of a stroke: a sagging face and slurred speech. Although it ended up being just a TIA (a minor stroke), going to emergency seemed the only thing to do.
   Strokes are life-threatening.
   And, the point is, next time I'm in a life-threatening situation, I might be less inclined to go to emergency.
   And, the point is, if I feel that way, there are others.
   And, the point is, if we don't go to emergency, some of us will die.
   And, the point is, some, surely, already have died -- died because they could not afford to go to the hospital.
   There are a lot of folks who defend the American medical system, who say no one is deprived the life-saving care they need.
   I beg to differ.
   After I got off the phone with the hospital bill collector, I thought of the corporate executives living high up the side of the hill, rich and comfortable. I wondered if they realized people are going to their death beds to allow them to live in such comfort. They charge way beyond value of service, and collect it, and buy their houses on the hill with that inflated amount of money. And the people who cannot afford their services die.
    This is not a very honorable medical system. If it is America's system, America should be ashamed of it.