Healthcare corruption: What's your take?

Kate Martin76 said:And from what I’ve been hearing, those little gifts or "tokens of appreciation"—you know, things that aren't straight-up cash—don't even come close to being as useful as just handing over some money... honestly, the whole thing feels pretty gross to me.👎

Honestly, you really just have to watch their faces when you hand them a gift. It could be a fancy box of Godiva chocolates, a nice bottle of wine, or whatever else you decide on—it doesn't matter. Nothing beats the look on someone's face; you can practically see them grinning from ear to ear because they know they're getting something tangible. It's almost better than the cash itself!

I have a roommate who works as a nurse in the ER—gender doesn't even matter at this point. They just laid out a hundred different scenarios where doctors are straight-up bribing patients or extorting money from them. For instance, they’ll claim an elderly woman has a hip issue and basically hold her in physical limbo until the family realizes they need to cough up $150 or $200 just to get surgery scheduled.
Another example of their absolute garbage behavior involves a woman calling 911 because she’s three months pregnant and bleeding. Instead of sending a full paramedic crew with a doctor, they just send a single technician. Once they arrived and realized the woman was Romani, those bastards refused to send a proper medical team simply because they identified her ethnicity by name. My roommate absolutely lost it; he called them out right then and there in front of everyone, making sure the whole room heard him ask if they were actually certain she didn't need a real emergency response.
There are a billion other examples too. And how does it even happen? You'll have some young female doctor come in complaining that people have already tried to slide cash into her pocket twice, even though she handed it right back. People are conditioned to accept this corruption, and since health is the most vital thing anyone has, even the poorest folks don't stop to ask what the true cost is going to be.
How do we get rid of these idiots? Is there actually a way to fix this, or is this just the standard operating procedure for our pathetic country?

The only way you ever fix corruption is by tackling it from the top down... we need total transparency for every single high-level government office in the country.

Otherwise, what’s the point? It’s a joke when you’ve got some big-shot boss pocketing millions and screwing everyone over, and you can't do a damn thing about it. All you can do is play by the rules yourself and maybe catch a minor fine for being a rule-breaker, but at least you aren't a complete crook.

There’s a way to handle this. Look at how they did it in Canada—they set up an anti-corruption unit that basically goes around trying to bribe anyone and everyone they can find. Then, once they catch them red-handed, the legal hammer drops.

Look, corruption isn't just a healthcare problem; it’s everywhere. It just hits harder when you're stuck in an ER waiting for help that isn't coming...

But honestly, we need to fix the political system and actually establish a functioning rule of law first. Right now, the whole system is basically in a coma.

jadetinker85 said:... whether it's a male or female nurse doesn't even matter...

medical technician

jadetinker85 said:There were a billion other examples... And how does it even happen? Some young doctor shows up and complains that patients have already tried to slip her cash twice—only for her to hand it right back. People are just conditioned to corruption, and since health is the one thing everyone prioritizes above all else, even the poorest folks don't stop to ask what the real price tag is.
How do you actually get rid of these idiots? Is there a way to fix it, or is this just the fundamental way our pathetic country operates?

In this country, it’s become such a standard practice that I wouldn't even label everything as corruption anymore.
Actual corruption is when a doctor—or worse, a nurse—demands money from you, asks for an envelope or some kickback... but the real mess is the deeply ingrained belief (especially in rural areas) that it's perfectly normal to bring a nurse a coffee or a box of chocolates, while the doctor gets handed a massive Thanksgiving turkey and a stack of hundred-dollar bills.

A few years back, my grandmother had surgery, and once she was discharged, my mom and her siblings brought the surgeon a roasted suckling pig... 😲
Well, I certainly wasn't naive back then... but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Later on, I realized a roast pig is practically nothing compared to the sheer volume of "gifts" doctors actually receive. 😉

For the sake of a little research project I've been putting together, I’d really appreciate it if you could weigh in on this survey—just based on whatever personal experience, secondhand knowledge, or general observations you might have.

Anyway, where do you all actually stand on this matter?

Personally, I have never encountered such a situation. For any medical screenings or specialist appointments that would typically involve an extensive waiting list, I suppose I would simply opt for a private clinic and get everything sorted out there immediately.

Laura Jackson45 said:For the sake of a research study, I would ask you to weigh in via this survey based on your own experience, whether direct or indirect.

Otherwise, what is your take on this?

Unfortunately, petty bribery and major corruption are daily occurrences within the American healthcare system.
Much of this stems from the patients themselves, who offer gifts or fail to report certain behaviors.
It starts small—bringing a nurse a coffee just to ensure better care. It's distasteful. It is degrading for both the giver and the receiver.

While coffee or chocolate might be minor, once you see people handing out gift cards, high-end groceries, or even gold and cash to doctors, it becomes clear that our social ethics haven't truly evolved.
Another massive issue in healthcare is how pharmaceutical giants recruit physicians to push their specific medications. A staggering amount of money is funneled into these schemes at the patient's expense.

Laura Jackson45 said:For the sake of some research, please share your thoughts in this poll based on your own experiences, whether direct or indirect.

So, where do you all stand on this?

Great topic. I work in healthcare—not a doctor, but I'm right there in the thick of it with them. Honestly, the situation is ugly. What I see at work is incredibly frustrating; sometimes people straight-up hand over envelopes of cash right in front of me without a second thought. I even have patients complain to me about having to pay under the table. It’s painfully obvious who’s paying their way and who isn't. You just feel for the poor patient who needs treatment at the hospital but doesn't have the right connections or the extra cash to grease the wheels. To be fair, there are exceptions. There are still doctors out there doing their jobs ethically regardless of who they are, but unfortunately, they feel like an endangered species.
I think part of the problem is the general mindset here in America, too. A huge chunk of the population feels like they *have* to tip a doctor, and very few actually refuse. People seem to justify it by telling themselves the doctors aren't paid enough anyway. Again, hats off to the exceptions.

Carol Ramirez39 said:This is an excellent topic. I work in healthcare—not as a doctor, but I am closely tied to their practice. The situation is grim. What I witness firsthand at work is truly frustrating; sometimes, people hand over envelopes of cash right in front of me without a shred of shame. Occasionally, patients even complain to me about having to pay under the table. It is painfully obvious who has paid their way through and who hasn't, leaving the poor patient without connections or extra cash to suffer. Barring the exceptions, which I must emphasize, there are still doctors who perform their duties conscientiously and without bias, but unfortunately, they are becoming an endangered species.
I believe there is also a significant flaw in our national mentality, where a large portion of the population feels obligated to tip a doctor, while few actually refuse. I suspect people "clear their consciences" by rationalizing that these professionals are underpaid anyway. Again, hats off to the exceptions.

We all chose our own paths...
...unfortunately, because of individuals like this—not just doctors, but nurses too—those who perform their jobs professionally and ethically suffer the reputation of the entire profession.
It bothers me to be lumped in with people of that caliber.
...but while the public just gossips about it in waiting rooms, over coffee, or at the local market, rather than addressing it within the institutions where it belongs...🤷
...one can only imagine how a gynecologist might lack competence in a clinic run by the Democratic Party, yet acts like an expert with a smile at a private practice. The same question applies to the Republican Party...
Another disgusting thing from my long career: seeing someone demand a kid's lunch money—just a soda and a candy bar—in exchange for a fake doctor's note. A real lesson for a fifteen-year-old... and

how high would salaries have to be for Americans to finally become honest?
The judiciary, the business sector, and... politics.
But that is a conversation for another time.

Laura Jackson45 said:For the sake of some research I'm doing, could you please share your thoughts in this poll based on your own experiences, whether direct or indirect?

Otherwise, what’s your take on the whole thing?

If that ever happened to me, I definitely wouldn't forget that doctor. Personally, I haven't dealt with anything like that yet. To me, it's pretty straightforward: I go to a doctor for help, I pay for their expertise, and I expect them to do their job. It's as simple as that.

Amy Turner22 said:everyone makes their own choices...
Unfortunately, because of people like that, the entire profession suffers—not just doctors, but nurses too. It drags down everyone actually doing their job professionally and correctly.

Yeah, unfortunately, but that's the reality. I'm speaking from experience here. I consider myself an exception to all this and I'm proud of that, but thanks to corrupt doctors and nurses, I end up in situations where I regret working in healthcare.

Carol Ramirez39 said:Yes, unfortunately, it’s true. I speak from personal experience here. I consider myself an exception to the rule and take pride in that, but thanks to corrupt doctors and nurses, I often find myself regretting my career in healthcare.

...and me too...

I’ve completely given up on trying to navigate the public healthcare system.
I would much rather pay out of pocket for private specialists—and frankly, I don't regret a single cent spent. If you aren't handing out bribes, you're stuck waiting years just for a basic checkup.
It took me two full years just to get an appointment. Once I finally landed a job, I funneled my second paycheck straight into a private clinic. My doctor was actually appalled when he saw my test results and realized how long I had been left hanging by the state medical system.

This is my take on it. Anyone who is genuinely sick and can afford private care will eventually flee the public sector.
The public system ends up being reserved for people who imagine they're ill just to score some time off work or insurance payouts, or those lonely souls who only go there because it's the only place they can find someone to talk to.
Meanwhile, the truly sick are forced to pay their own way because they simply cannot afford to wait any longer.

Jonathan Hall4 said:I am no longer certain about the current state of public healthcare since I have completely given up on it.
I would much rather pay private providers—and I don't regret the expense—than deal with the public system. Unless you are essentially bribing people, you end up waiting years just for an appointment or basic tests.
In my case, I waited two years for a checkup. Once I landed a job, I used my second paycheck to go to a private clinic instead; the doctor there was actually concerned when he saw my test results and realized how long I had been forced to wait because the public system failed to provide them.

It feels to me like anyone who is truly sick and can afford a private doctor will eventually seek one out.
Meanwhile, the public system seems to cater to those who imagine they are ill just to collect disability checks or those who simply want someone to talk to.
As for those who are genuinely unwell, they ultimately pay out of pocket because they realize they simply cannot afford to wait any longer.

That isn't entirely accurate... we still have many highly skilled professionals in our healthcare system... most of them, in fact...
The issue is the wait times... though, some of those tests aren't even necessary... it’s just a way to drain funds...