Truth About US Health Care

There’s an old joke that says when you die, the devil comes for your soul.

But in this cartoon, Satan isn’t collecting anything. He’s taking notes.

A nervous health care executive sits behind a desk piled with cash, while books labeled “Profits” and “Rate Hikes” sit nearby. Across from him is the devil, dressed like he’s attending a board meeting.

“Are you here for my soul?” the executive asks.

“No, I’m here to learn from you,” Satan replies.

Spreadsheets Before Empathy

The joke works because America’s infernal health care system often feels less like a public service and more like a business model designed by people who discovered spreadsheets before empathy.

Health insurance companies regularly talk about “cost containment,” “utilization” and “shareholder value.” Patients talk about something different: whether they can afford insulin, get an MRI approved or see a specialist before their condition gets worse.

The for-profit health care industry is designed to make money by denying you health care. You pay an inflated premium, but they make money by denying you service. Sounds pretty evil to me.

And Americans are increasingly expressing frustration with that reality. A 2026 Commonwealth Fund survey found that 21% of working-age adults with private insurance said they or a family member had been denied coverage for doctor-recommended medical care in the previous year. One woman who experienced a coverage denial described her frustration this way: “I hate the way it felt like I got conned.” The study found that patients who experienced denials reported financial stress, delayed care and growing distrust of insurance companies.

Even Satan Is Impressed

It’s a system that seems like it was designed by Satan.

The stacks of cash aren’t subtle. Neither are the books about profits and rate hikes.

The executive fears eternal damnation. The devil, meanwhile, seems impressed by the operation.

We expect Satan to represent the worst imaginable behavior. Instead, he has apparently discovered that the health care industry may have a few tricks he hasn’t considered.