The American healthcare system is terminally ill, astonishingly expensive, remarkably variable in quality and incapable of stemming the rising tide of chronic illnesses in our population. This book strips away the elaborately constructed myths that conceal the ugly underbelly of healthcare and lays bare the truth about an industry that serves special interest groups far better than it serves its patients. Just as the Affordable Care Act begins to change the healthcare landscape, Leifer offers a survival guide for anyone entering the healthcare system.

Myth 1: The United States boasts the best health care in the world -- Myth 2: Shopping for health care is like shopping for a car: you base your decisions on good information -- Myth 3: Medical interventions are based upon scientific evidence of positive outcomes regarding best practices. As a result, patients receive precisely the care they need -- Myth 4: Where one chooses to receive care will have no bearing on their treatment options, outcomes, or cost -- Myth 5: All physicians are created equal -- Myth 6: There's no better place to be when you are ill than the hospital -- Myth 7: The prescription I was given is safe, proven, and effective -- Myth 8: I'm just the patient. I'm not part of the problem -- Myth 9: My insurance company's first concern is my health -- Myth 10: When all else fails, at least the system will allow me to die with dignity.