Essayist Emily Maloney offers a wholly unique vantage point when it comes to American healthcare. At 19 years old, a suicide attempt landed Emily in the hospital for an extended stay, which then saddled her with a massive 5-figure load of unexpected medical bills. In an attempt to pay off her debt, Emily became an emergency room technician and began working in the very same system that was crippling her financial life. In today’s episode, Emily discusses her experiences as both patient and caregiver, and shares her insights on the true cost – financial and personal – that the flawed US medical system exerts on everyone involved, from patients to physicians.  In this episode, you will hear about:Emily’s motivation for writing her recently published book of essays, “Cost of Living”  - 2:33How finding herself in suffocating medical debt changed Emily’s life  - 10:24Why the true costs of medical interventions are impossible to know under the current system -  18:20What drew Emily into the medical profession despite her negative experiences as a patient - 24:43Emily’s ideas on how healthcare in the US should be reformed - 37:28Emily is the author of the essay collection “Cost of Living”Follow Emily on Twitter @emilyfmaloneyVisit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.Copyright The Doctor’s Art Podcast 2022