By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    FDA Approves Diabetes Pill
    May 2, 2011
    Patient Gets Drunk on Hand Sanitizer
    June 20, 2011
    Cultivating Health Improvement
    July 20, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Costs of Care 2012 Essay Contest Winner: Looking for a Light Switch
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > Costs of Care 2012 Essay Contest Winner: Looking for a Light Switch
BusinessHealth ReformPublic Health

Costs of Care 2012 Essay Contest Winner: Looking for a Light Switch

Ben Robbins
Last updated: February 12, 2013 8:50 am
Ben Robbins
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

The following story is by Benjamin Robbins, a Harvard Medical Student , and a winner of the 2012 Costs of Care Essay Contest.  It was originally posted on Costs of Care

The following story is by Benjamin Robbins, a Harvard Medical Student , and a winner of the 2012 Costs of Care Essay Contest.  It was originally posted on Costs of Care

The Saturday after Sandy hit, I was the medical student in a Cambridge, Massachusetts emergency room.  Around the time my shift started, Andrew, a man about my age, couldn’t bear the pain in his nose any longer.  The ED nurse still talks about the “huge booger” bulging from his nose.  A few days before coming to the ED, he’d left behind his flooded, powerless Brooklyn apartment seeking refuge in his childhood home of Cambridge.  He outcompeted the crowds to become part of the lucky handful of New Yorkers to catch a bus out of town.

Andrew had friends near Cambridge, because until a few months ago he worked for a company based in Boston.  He liked the job, because it provided “good pay and benefits with enough time off to see friends.” One day everything changed.  While biking to work, he’d just crossed over the Charles River when a car swerved into his path.  He smashed into the side and flew over the hood, landing face-first on concrete. His teeth were shattered, and he’d need surgery to repair fractures in his face.  Insurance covered his bills until it came time to put in new teeth.  His policy excluded oral surgery.  If he wanted teeth, he’d need ten thousand dollars.

More Read

NIH Assigns Some of NFL’s Donations to Fund Concussion Research Projects
Expanding Medicaid benefits for improved behavioral health care, substance abuse treatment
What Is on the Digital Horizon for Clinical Trial Recruitment?
The Importance of Marketing and Customer Service in HealthCare
Addressing Medicare Cuts

He plainly told me that after the accident he started looking for jobs that provided health insurance inclusive of oral surgery.  “I was still single,” he explained, and “I figured it’d be easier to meet someone if I had teeth.”  In a stroke of luck, he landed a dream job in Manhattan with the right benefits.  There was a catch, however; health coverage wouldn’t start for a year.  Believing it unlikely that something else would happen to him, he signed on and moved into an apartment near Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

A few months later, we met.  He was in a hospital bed, and I was standing awkwardly behind his physician.  “What brings you in?” I asked, trying to ignore the red bulge emerging from his nostril.  “I’m a pretty hairy dude” he said, referring to his bushy beard.  “I think I have an ingrown hair.”  Two days earlier he’d noticed a “pimple” inside his nose.  Then another.  They grew and became painful over the next day.  They’d gotten so big that his nose looked crooked. With his recent facial injuries, we’d need a CT to see behind his swelling.  “I’ve got to pay this out of pocket, so could you ballpark how much that costs?”  We couldn’t. “Are we talking about like $10 or $10,000?”  We didn’t know that either.

I felt anxious.  All my classes on clinical outcomes, and the ballooning costs of healthcare, and I couldn’t estimate the cost of a CT, or the risks of not doing one at all. I guessed the doctor had the same thoughts, and was eager to see how she’d respond.  We heard a distant alarm.  “One second” said the physician, leaving the room.  Suddenly I was alone with Andrew and his terrifying questions. He asked “What would you do in this situation?”  I had no idea.  I mumbled something about him needing to make a decision with limited information, but I’m quite certain I provided nothing useful.

Thankfully, before Andrew realized that I wasn’t saying anything, the doctor returned carrying a thick 18-gage needle.  “Ok, decisions on the CT?” Andrew responded “I’m gonna pass.”  A few seconds after explaining how we’d lance the “pimples” in an effort to drain them, the needle was inside Andrew’s nostril.  He gave a loud, shrieking moan as the needle punctured skin.  A few seconds later, he erupted with the most violent sneezes I’ve seen, and it was over. The doctor said “it’ll be really important to return in a couple days. You’re welcome to come back here or see a nose specialist.”  Andrew asked knowingly, “You aren’t sure of the cost of either visit, right?”  She responded “I’m sorry I don’t know the cost of an ED trip, and I called an ENT physician for the price of an appointment with him.  He didn’t know.”  Andrew didn’t come back.

I called him a few weeks later to followup.  He apologized for not coming back, saying “it wasn’t bad enough to potentially pay thousands of dollars for another visit.”  We talked about the frustrations of that night.  He summarized his experience, saying “it felt like I was in a dark room.  I kept looking for the light switch, but never found one.”

TAGGED:healthcare costs
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Teribone Treats Osteoporosis With Noninvasive Systematic Approach

October 15, 2011
smoker health premiums
Health ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Giving Smokers a Pass on Health Premiums

July 19, 2013

Obesity Drug Development and Market Outlook

July 18, 2011
Children's Hospital
BusinessHospital AdministrationPublic Health

NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports Takes Lead As Health Care Role Model

February 22, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?