Chris Rangel recounts a story where telling a patient that she can return to work disappoints a family:

Oh, ummm. It was only after I left the room that I realized my mistake. Usually patients and their families want to be reassured that their lives WON’T be adversely affected by a new or chronic illness. My bad.

But to receive Social Security disability benefits patients with diabetes need to have severe neuropathy and/or diabetic retinopathy that prevents them from working. They also need to prove that they were actually working in a salaried position for a certain number of years to qualify. Apparently this patient has none of these criteria.

Still, the experience was depressing. It wasn’t about getting Medicaid coverage so she can afford to treat her diabetes (the local county hospital, supported by local and state taxes, provides a free health clinic). It was about this family’s apparent ease and willingness to try and get something for nothing . . to try and benefit from the unfortunate health problems of a loved one.