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Andrew Whalen

Professor Walton

English 2010

20 January 2022

Adding Insult to Injury

A few years ago I was involved in an accident that left my arm forever changed. The

worst part about it, however, was not the physical trauma.

It was a brisk October morning and the ground was covered with a thin layer of fresh

snow, perfect conditions for a football game. I gathered my friends to start playing a game in our

local park. We assembled teams and began as quickly as we could because we were so antsy to

begin. I was lucky enough to be paired with my best friend Cooper, who played quarterback.

The game began and each time started swinging for the fences. Despite the bitter cold

temperature hindering our every breath, everyone pushed through with our eyes set on winning.

The score was going back and forth, but we felt confident because it seemed like Cooper could

not miss a single throw. We had the ball and a chance to win the game. Cooper came up to me

and whispered in my ear, “I trust you, this one’s coming to you.” The game was up to me now. I

ran as fast as I could down the field to get open and Cooper launched up the throw. To my

surprise, the throw was veering toward the middle and I had to change course. The defender and

I jumped up for the ball at the same time and the ball brushed off my fingertips. I had to land

awkwardly because we collided mid air so I stuck my arm out which was followed by a

deafening snap.
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I laid on the field with my arm mangled. The shock and adrenaline masked the pain, but I

still had a myriad of emotions running through my head. Soon after, an ambulance came to

transport me to the hospital where they put me in a cast and sent me home. That should be the

end of the story. Unfortunately, days after the incident I walked into the living room in the

morning and found my parents in distress. My dad’s head was in his hands and my mom was in

tears. In my dad’s hand was the medical bill for the incident. Between the ambulance ride and the

stay at the hospital, the bill had surmounted to an unthinkable price. The medical fees turned out

to be much more devastating than the injury I sustained. While my family turned out ok in the

end, some others are not as privileged.

Overpriced medical care is a huge problem, especially for people who are not financially

stable. “A third reason for high U.S. health care costs is that the health care industry—insurance

companies and hospitals—became more consolidated, and more powerful. ‘They can command

more market power, they can command higher prices,’ said Frakt. ‘That’s going to drive your

premiums up’”(Frakt). While healthcare is a huge problem all around the nation, the problem in

Utah is very significant. Local leaders, such as the governor, have recognized the issue that Utah

has in regards to healthcare costs and have set out to find a solution. High healthcare costs can be

very detrimental to some people who may not have the means to pay. This can lead to some

people choosing to not get treated because of the financial toll that it will take on them and their

families.
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Works Cited

“The Most Expensive Health Care System in the World.” News, 13 Jan. 2020,

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/the-most-expensive-health-care-system-in

-the-world/.