You Shouldn’t Have to Fight for a Doctor’s Appointment. But Millions Do.

March 4, 2025

By Karthik Ganesh

Justine Ezarik—known to millions as YouTube tech reviewer iJustine—thought she had access to the best healthcare. With seven million YouTube subscribers, representation by William Morris Endeavor, and even a stint advising Arnold Schwarzenegger, she was once named "the most influential person online" by Fast Company. But none of that mattered when she developed a life-threatening blood clot in 2022. The pain was unbearable, her arm swollen and darkening. It was deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition that can be fatal if untreated. Yet for six months in Los Angeles, she couldn’t get a single doctor’s appointment. She wasn’t sure she’d live long enough to make it to her appointment.

At CES 2025, in the heart of Las Vegas' health-tech section—where 150,000 people swarmed the latest "revolutionary" innovations—Justine fought to be heard over the noise. She wasn’t promoting a product. She was reliving her nightmare, telling me, a health-tech CEO, how the system completely failed her.  

If someone with money, fame, and connections couldn’t get care when she needed it most, what chance does the average American have?

Ezarik’s story is not unique. The United States is the wealthiest country on earth, yet millions of Americans can’t get a doctor’s appointment when they need one. We spend more than $4.5 trillion annually on healthcare—that’s more than the next 10 highest-spending countries combined— and yet people are forced to wait weeks, even months, for basic medical care. Instead of a system that prevents illness, we have one that profits from disease, rewarding crisis care while leaving millions sick, bankrupt, or both. How is it that in a nation this powerful, seeing a doctor feels like a privilege instead of a right?

America’s healthcare system isn’t just inefficient—it’s cruel. Over 140 rural hospitals have closed in the last decade, turning entire regions into "medical deserts" where people must travel hours for care they may not be able to afford. In urban centers, low-income communities face similar barriers, with long wait times, overcrowded emergency rooms, and a shortage of primary care doctors. The result? People delay treatment until they’re in crisis, flooding ERs with conditions that could have been prevented.

This is particularly devastating for hispanic communities, who make up nearly 19% of the U.S. population yet face disproportionate barriers to care. Language barriers, lack of insurance, and systemic neglect mean that many avoid seeking medical help until it’s too late. These gaps in access aren’t just statistics; they are choices we’ve made as a society—choices that cost lives.

We Know Early Detection Works—So Why Are We Making It So Hard?

Routine screenings for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and early-stage cancers save lives. A study in JAMA found that 60% of cardiovascular deaths in the U.S. could have been prevented with earlier intervention. Yet, America’s healthcare infrastructure is built to react to illness, not prevent it.

The average wait time for a new primary care appointment is 26 days—assuming you can even find a doctor. One in four Americans skips or delays medical care due to cost. Meanwhile, hospital closures continue, leaving entire regions without a single healthcare facility. This isn’t just a problem in rural areas. In cities, uninsured and low-income residents navigate a broken system that prioritizes those who can pay. When minor conditions go untreated, they spiral into medical emergencies. And when that happens, the system profits.

It's Time to Bring Care to the People—And Hold the System Accountable

This crisis is not inevitable—it is the result of policy choices. Every year we allow it to persist, more Americans die unnecessarily.

We need to rethink how and where people receive care. Imagine walk-in clinics in grocery stores, pharmacies, and community centers—accessible, affordable, and designed to prevent illness before it starts. This isn’t a radical idea; it’s common sense. Walmart tested this concept with Walmart Health clinics—a model that showed promise before being abruptly shut down last year due to corporate sustainability concerns. The problem isn’t demand—it’s execution.

Policymakers must prioritize mobile health units that bring care directly to underserved communities. Instead of treating telehealth as a pandemic-era convenience, we should expand virtual healthcare options to provide real-time access to practitioners. Local governments must work with private entities to subsidize non-emergency medical transportation, ensuring that no one skips an appointment because they lack a ride. And we need healthcare providers to remove language and cultural barriers that prevent marginalized communities from receiving quality care.

We Don’t Need More Hospitals—We Need Smarter Access

The answer isn’t just building more facilities—The good news? Change is possible. Policymakers are already discussing solutions, but without public pressure, reform moves too slowly.

Ezarik’s story is proof that no one is immune to a broken system—not even those with money, fame, or connections. We know early detection saves lives. We know access prevents suffering. The answer isn’t building more facilities – it’s rethinking how and where people get healthcare. How much longer will we tolerate a system that withholds care until it’s too late?

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