My wife is a physician. Four weeks ago she was in severe pain and could hardly walk. She drove herself to the ER at the hospital system that is also her employer. After getting admitted at the ER, the first person she saw was a lady to collect her $150 copay... While in severe pain and before seeing a care provider. That's the current US healthcare system.

She ended up having emergency spine surgery. Fused L5-S1 vertebrae and replaced disk in between.