In the South, especially Memphis, we have a plethora of hospitals with very high credentials. Is it all a joke? Why are there so many hospitals in the South? Why won’t people go receive the healthcare help they need and receive treatment from the hospitals here? Healthcare is an imporant issue in today’s news, simply because it is a universal necessity. In Memphis, there are people dying senselessly. There are hospitals here in Memphis specifcally, capable of hosting these patients and helping them, but it is not cheap. Being seen in the emergency room, after waiting a couple of hours you will most likely spend any where from 200-500 dollars. Insurance and their qualifications make it hard for everyone to be accepted. I have witnessed people become stressed worrying about how to pay for their hosptial bill. In the past, African Americans were not the highest prioity when it came to receiving treatment. African Americans were viewed as strong and tough. White doctors often disregarded the fact that they needed treatment. Although times have changed, people are almost afraid of going to the doctor. They simply make their symptons minor and never go. Many diseased people find out long after they have contracted the disease or sickness. Even if people are sick, they often try home remedies before going to the doctor or the hosptial. After they finally realize they should go, they are given minimum treatment because they do not have insurance or they simply have the wrong insurance. In class, we discused Memphis’ ambivalence, which ultimately came down to should we help the people with sickle cell or not. That is still the question in the year 2013. As a people, we are worried about having to pick up the tab of someone elses bill. Although when it is our family member, we want everyone to contribute to the cause. It is amazing how years later, the same situation is still an issue, even though sickle cell is not the main focal point, it has become broader and more widespread. The Afforadable Healthcare Act is still trying to be passed. I am not sure if this will be the answer to America’s healthcare problems, but it sure would help to bring in a breath of fresh air. African Americans in the south need to do better as a whole regarding their health and their well being. I can honestly say that I need to make better eating choices and exerceise more. As a twenty year old young lady, I do not visit the doctor annually. I just do not have time, and it honestly never crosses my mind until something bothers me. That is just how it goes in my family, and I know my friends are the same way. It is important to know what is going on in your body, but it is also very expensive and becomes a huge issue if something is wrong. Not attending the doctor annually can be compared to the saying,”if it aint broke, then don’t try to fix it”. I am aware that it could possibly be a southern attribute, but I’m sure people everywhere think like this. If visiting the doctor did not require a copay and staying in the hosptial did not cost you a month worth of rent then maybe people would go more. In the South, people should not feel like going to the hosptial is a burden and feel obligated to know that the hospital is there to help them. Being healthy is not only limited to the wealthy, it is for everyone because everyone deserves to live.