Down in the Mouth or "You Get What You Pay For"

You're gonna like this. Not a lot.

The world of health care is the same the whole world over. It's a shame, a wretched shame. It's the rich what gets the pleasures...

...and the poor what gets the pain.

A friend of mine thought he maybe had "reasons to be cheerful," as he found himself getting older, more destitute and...worthy of government assistance.

One of the funniest words in the English language is "medicare." Second funniest, "Medicaid." It implies that you're going to find a medic who will care, or a medic who will aid you.

This miracle is yours for either no fee at all, or a very small deductible.

WHY, IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

My friend was given a very small list of dentists within his "health plan." This included dentists with foreign names, and dentists in parts of town that you wouldn't want to visit even with a concealed weapon.

Thanks to the Internet, he discovered reviews on places he was thinking of using.

Here's... Exhibit HA HA.

Exhibit HO HO.

Exhibit HEE HEE.

Oh, it's nice to have so many options in the BIG CITY.

There were another half-dozen equally rotten.

What a surprise that the government would have a list of incompetent, gouging (in every way) dentists to choose from.

What a thrill to be on a fixed income and have to wait an hour, travel an unpleasant distance, AND be tortured. Meanwhile the dentist bills the government often for MORE than the normal rate, as this is how "insurance" works.

My friend figured, "Maybe I'm better off with my somewhat expensive private dentist."

Ahem. Yes. Isn't it interesting how the government rigs it so that people often end up saving up and paying out of their own pocket for a dentist, therapist or doctor.