Wake Up America: You Are Being Robbed

 

Wake Up America: You Are Being Robbed

When you take your car to the mechanic, do you ask what tools they’re using? No. Your primary concern is whether the mechanic is qualified to fix the problem, and when the bill comes, it reflects the parts and service needed to get your car running again. Yet, in healthcare, Americans are being forced into a completely different—and utterly exploitative—dynamic.

Every day, Americans are being robbed by a healthcare system that has become a profit-driven juggernaut, powered by suits in corporate boardrooms who manipulate contracts and policies to extract every last penny from patients. Over the last three decades, healthcare insurance companies have perfected this system, leveraging their political influence to craft contracts that prioritize profits and create loopholes for denying claims.

Consider this: I recently received bills for my annual physical and eye exam—both services explicitly listed in my healthcare policy as 100% covered. Yet, this year, I was charged for portions of these visits. Why? Because the insurance company and the provider had devised a new way to categorize services, justifying patient responsibility for additional costs. For instance, during my eye exam, a diagnostic tool was used that fell outside the scope of “covered” services according to my insurance. This tool was essential for the exam, yet I was expected to pay extra for it. When I challenged the charge, the insurance representative advised me to ask detailed questions about every procedure and tool before it’s used in the future.

This absurd advice places the burden of navigating the complexities of medical billing on patients. Are we expected to become experts in insurance coding just to avoid being overcharged? Shouldn’t it be the provider’s responsibility to use the necessary tools to perform their duties without adding hidden costs?

Having worked inside an insurance company, I’ve seen the industry’s strategy to cut costs and maximize profits. From automating processes to replacing qualified human workers, the goal is always to benefit the company, not the patient. Virtual visits, for example, now come with the same co-pay as in-person visits, despite being less resource-intensive. Worse still, healthcare insurance companies now own hospitals and clinics, consolidating power and creating a monopolistic system that is nearly impossible to challenge. Politicians—many of whom are funded by these corporations—enable this system to thrive, adding complexity to billing and reducing transparency.

The future of healthcare looks even bleaker. Soon, patients may be treated by artificial intelligence, billed by automated systems, and left with no one to address their concerns. The justice system, already struggling to manage healthcare fraud, will be powerless against this AI-driven exploitation. Historically, the majority of U.S. doctors were White. Over time, many have stepped away from direct care, delegating responsibilities to highly qualified Asian professionals while benefiting from the increasing complexity of the system. These dynamics are controlled by corporations predominantly led by White executives, but the damage is not limited to minorities. In fact, White Americans are also being disproportionately affected by these systemic failures.

This isn’t just about race or socio-economic status—it’s about the commodification of healthcare and the loss of basic freedoms. Americans are being forced to navigate a system that profits from their suffering, while politicians turn a blind eye. The anger among the public is growing, and while violence is never the solution, the frustration is valid. A system that prioritizes profit over care is unsustainable, and the consequences of inaction will be devastating for everyone.

Americans must wake up to the reality that their healthcare system has been hijacked by corporations and politicians. It’s time to demand transparency, hold our leaders accountable, and advocate for a system that serves people, not profits. Healthcare is not a luxury—it’s a human right. The question is: how long will we allow ourselves to be robbed before we take action?

Wake up, America. The clock is ticking.