What's wrong with this health care picture?

I'm going to wander off the reservation for this post to talk about an experience our family had with our screwed up health care system.

My wife had been suffering with a back problem that radiated pain down her leg. It was so severe that she had to walk hunched over, and for all practical purposed had become a cripple. She went to her chiropractor, and after several sessions, he told her she should see a neurosurgeon. She was hesitant, but I insisted.

She had an MRI and we visited the surgeon for a consultation. He showed us the problem, "All that black stuff there," and recommended surgery (of course) to "clean it out." I strongly encouraged my wife to schedule the procedure. She, however, was unwilling to go under the knife. I was fairly insistent that she reconsider. She was unmoved.

Our son Chris is a body builder, among other pursuits, and he counseled his mother to seek treatment with a Muscle Activation Technique specialist. He found one in our area. I was skeptical. Nonetheless she made an appointment and started therapy.

Bottom line, after about a month of once a week therapy, she began to feel better. After two months, she was pain free, walking upright and going about her chores, including bowling, without any discomfort whatsoever.

So, why am I telling you this? My reason is that the medical profession was recommending a $40,000 operation—with all the hospitalization and potential post-op complications—which our insurance would have paid for. Instead, for about $1,000 of therapy she was essentially cured. The catch is that our insurance wouldn't touch that little bill with a ten foot pole! The procedure is not accredited.

Whenever we tell friends about our experience, the first question they ask is, "Is it covered?" They would actually rather undergo surgery than have to pay anything out of pocket!

This my friends, is but one of the problems with our health care system.