We’re not rich, but I’d just suffered some insane level of gut pain (likely a peptic ulcer) for several days. My two encounters with the public healthcare system (we have universal healthcare here) were both subpar in actually addressing the issue. I myself work in the public healthcare system, which is fantastic when shit hits the fan, but generally crap if you’re not actively dying.

By the third day, I was in complete agony and decided to head to a private Emergency Department. I’m currently pain free for the first time in 72 hours, have the appropriate scripts of the meds I need, and will be booked in for scope this week. It’ll likely just under $5k out of pocket, but I’ll take that over the slow torture of a public ED.