The American healthcare system is absolutely borked. This isn’t just some theoretical rant about bureaucracy or insurance companies—this is coming from personal experience that has left me stuck in a maze of red tape, delay, and frustration, all because of a rash near my eye.

A few weeks ago, I went to see my doctor about this rash. Simple, right? She examines it, prescribes a medication, and I think, “Okay, I’ll take the meds, and this whole thing will clear up soon.” Not so fast. Turns out, my insurance won’t cover the prescription. Why? Not because the medication isn’t necessary, not because I don’t have coverage, but because the prescription came from her—my primary care doctor—instead of a dermatologist. Yes, you heard that right. The exact same medication, if it had come from a specialist, might have been covered. But since it didn’t, the medication would cost me a ridiculous $1,800 out of pocket. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a spare $1,800 lying around for an ointment.

So now, instead of getting the medication I need and moving on with my life, I’m stuck in the dreaded referral process. I need to see a dermatologist to write the exact same prescription that my doctor already did, just so my insurance will consider covering it. This has already taken about three weeks—three weeks of back-and-forth calls, appointments, waiting, and hoping that I can get an appointment with a specialist soon. In the meantime, I’m just sitting here, waiting on when the dermatologist will finally have availability. The absurdity of it all is enough to make anyone question how we’re supposed to have faith in this system.

The kicker is that even after I finally get in to see the dermatologist, there’s no guarantee that my insurance will cover the medication. There’s a chance I’ll be told, once again, that for whatever arbitrary reason, they won’t pay. How is this acceptable? A healthcare system that makes people jump through hoops, delays care, and forces them to fork over absurd amounts of money just to access basic treatment is not one that’s built for the well-being of its people. It’s a system built on profit, procedures, and gatekeeping.

I’m not even asking for something complex here. I just want to treat a rash on my eye. I did everything right—I saw my doctor, got the prescription, and went to fill it. But instead of a straightforward process, I’m now in a bureaucratic nightmare, waiting weeks for a specialist just so I might—might—get the care I need. If that doesn’t scream “broken system,” I don’t know what does.

The American healthcare system is absolutely borked, and my experience is just one of countless others. If the system really worked, I’d be focused on healing by now, not navigating insurance hell.

But here we are.