HEALTHCARE IN AMERICA 2008

Several months ago I went to my doctor.He refused to see me over 4 co-pays amounting to 80.00.Now this was not because I was unable/unwilling to pay,it's because the billing clerk said,"Oh,it's alright Mr.Clattenburg you have blah blah blah,I'll just bill your insurance.Fine by me considering I was working short hours and Ann wasn't working at the time because of a back injury that prevented her from doing so and eased her back in to full time one shift at a time.
Well,as it turns out,the billing clerk was wrong-not only that,they humiliated me in front of a waiting room full of patients regarding my inability to pay-because of a mistake they made.Had they hit me up for 20 each time,no problem,but 80 when the citie's fixing to cut your electricity? Big problem.
Flash forward past the trip to the ER and the cat scan and the ekg and the terror of my fucking life that lasted til 5:30 in the morning.
The docs office called me after that and said he needed to see me in regard to my ER visit.Now,I thought that was funny,considering they wouldn't see me before-so I assured them I was taking my meds everyday and as soon as i had 80 dollars to give them I would come in to see them.80 dollars is hard to come by when you're so far behind on other essentials-house-power-food that you have to juggle chain saws and wolverines just to get by from week to week.
Flash forward to last Thursday-That's when I tried to get a script refilled.It's now Monday night,and while the pharmacy gave me an "emergency" supply of 6 pills-I'm out as of tomorrow.Between Ann and I we spent 45 minutes on the phone with the doctors office,promised call backs which never came-and those 45 minutes were wasted breath.
So I'm left with one conclusion-80 dollars in past due co-pays is more important to my doctor than me continuing to live.Not to mention despite my assurance that I would pay when I had the money-they sent my bill to collections.Jesus Christ on the cross!*
I was assured a call back tomorrow-I'm not holding my breath.
What is the world fucking coming to anyway?
This guy has been my doctor for 15 years , I have never fucked him around even when I didn't have insurance.*
The insurance I have now is adequate,but apparently confusing to the billing department.
I guess the Hippocratic oath has finally bowed to the monetary note.
This is not over-they don't know who they are fucking with...