access denied, because your pain isn't "severe" enough to care!!

 

When “Not Severe Enough” Means No Help: The Cruelty of Our Healthcare System

I was driving for Uber one day, giving a ride to a woman who needed help as she was in a lot of pain and misery, going from one motel to another, trying to get home and everything. Somewhere between the traffic lights, she started telling me her story as she cried her heart out.

She told me about the people she’s lost, friends, family members, people she cared about deeply. About her own health struggles and the endless search for help that never came. About sitting in waiting rooms, calling doctors, begging for treatment, only to be told again and again that her condition wasn’t severe enough.

That phrase—not severe enough—still haunts me. Because it means denied care, it means ignored pain, it means forgotten humanity.

This isn’t just one person’s story.

It’s the story of millions. Of people living with chronic illness, disabilities, mental health struggles, and daily pain that doesn’t fit the emergency room checklist. People who don’t get timely care because their symptoms aren’t flashy or dramatic enough to grab attention. People like deaf individuals who need hearing aids to work and communicate, but can’t afford the thousands of dollars for replacements. Parents who skip medications so their kids can eat. Seniors who ration insulin. Workers who can’t afford therapy.

Our healthcare system, in all its complexity and expense, often fails these people.

Why does this happen?

Because the system is designed around crisis, not care. It’s a triage system where only the most severe cases get attention, and prevention, early intervention, and ongoing support get pushed aside or ignored.

Because costs are astronomical, insurance companies, hospitals, and pharmaceutical giants often put profits ahead of people.

Because bureaucracy and red tape turn asking for help into an exhausting, demoralizing battle.

It’s heartbreaking. It’s infuriating. And it’s unacceptable.

No one should have to feel like their pain isn’t real or their needs aren’t urgent. No one should have to fight just to be heard, to be treated, to be cared for.

We need a system that:

• Guarantees basic healthcare for all, not just for those who can afford it or are “severe enough.”

• Includes coverage for essential needs like hearing aids, mental health, and chronic illness management.

• Removes barriers that force people to choose between health and rent, medication and food.

• Treats healthcare as a human right, not a privilege.

That woman’s story will stay with me.

It’s a reminder that behind every statistic is a person. Behind every denied claim is a family. Behind every slogan and policy debate are lives at stake.

We owe it to her—and to millions like her—to build a healthcare system that sees every one of us, hears every voice, and cares for every body.

Because health isn’t just about surviving emergencies. It’s about living with dignity, respect, and hope.