The debate over the American healthcare system is not new. However, a recent announcement from the former US Surgeon General has sparked yet another conversation about the extreme expense for any kind of medical care.

From 2017-2021, Dr. Jerome Adams was the country’s Surgeon General, making him the most well-known and respected doctor in the USA.

Luckily, for Adams, all he needed were a couple of IV bags to replenish his system. The doctors at the clinic also ran routine tests to ensure dehydration was the true cause of his ailments, and they all came back negative.

The former Surgeon General then posted on his X profile, detailing why he was at the hospital and even including a photo of the bill he received.

As with any online debate, Dr. Adams received a wide variety of comments on his post. Some were messages of support and sympathy, but others called out the famous surgeon, saying that if he had a better insurance policy, he wouldn’t have had to pay $5,000 for a few IV bags.

Adams also wrote, “healthcare coverage in the US is a gamble, and the house always wins,” essentially saying that no matter what kind of insurance or lack thereof that an American may have, they will not “win” against the system.

When something goes wrong, Americans often weigh the pros and cons of going to see a doctor. They may think to themselves, “Do I really feel bad enough to spend thousands of dollars at the hospital?”

Dr. Adams’ situation proves it’s not only those without insurance who have to worry about an exorbitant bill after a routine hospital visit.

Adams’ case also proves how many Americans still face high medical bills even though they’re insured. They have health insurance and are still having to pay incredibly high costs out of pocket.

Regrettably, the healthcare system often doesn’t work for those who have health insurance. According to the Commonwealth Fund, about 43% of American adults are “underinsured.”

While many Americans feel the personal pressures of medical expenses, most don’t realize that the vast majority of their friends and neighbors are also struggling with medical debt.

The United States has a unique problem among its population: its citizens often go through bankruptcy because of healthcare debt. This problem isn’t seen in other wealthy nations, such as the United Kingdom, to such a great extent.

Anyone who has gone through the process of trying to pay medical bills knows that the threat of the bill being sent to collections agencies is never far behind. Adams himself received this threat quickly after receiving his bill two months after he received treatment.

Even worse, Americans who haven’t paid off their medical bills can be rejected from future hospital visits. Ariane Buck, a man who sells health insurance, faced this catastrophe when he was suffering from a severe intestinal infection.

These cases of people facing medical debt aren’t uncommon. So many Americans face these issues on a daily basis. Many of them feel that the country — and its politicians — aren’t doing anything to change this unfortunate problem.

 With Adams’ recent post on many minds, Americans are wondering, more than ever before, if the government will ever step in and finally change this “broken” system.

Recently, many advocates of universal healthcare — or Medicare For All — have pushed for the idea of completely eliminating private health insurance. If this happens, then Americans will no longer face mountains of debt after they go to the hospital.

Technically, Congress approved the No Surprises Act in 2022, which ensured patients wouldn’t have to pay an exorbitant bill if they accidentally visited a doctor outside their insurance network.

There are few Americans who don’t feel that the nation’s healthcare needs at least an upgrade, if not a complete makeover.

Adams is now using the fact that he’s a public figure to bring awareness to how the American healthcare system is broken. However, the former surgeon general is confident that things can change.

One of the main things Adams wants to see is more transparency in the overall healthcare system. He believes that Americans shouldn’t be shocked with bills months after they went to the doctor.

Transparency matters for a variety of reasons. Americans should know what they’ll be expected to pay before they have any doctor visit or operation done on them. This can help combat massive medical debt.

Adams has also explained that patients should have more of an ability to contest any massive charges that hospitals send them. Therefore, there needs to be some sort of arbitration process.

As the former surgeon general, Adams knows that he’s in a luckier position than many other Americans when it comes to things such as finances. Regardless, he feels he can help.