"For a brief moment--and this is difficult to admit--I found myself tempted to schedule the surgery. A completely unnecessary surgery. The operation would have taken me twenty stress-free minutes, she would have gone home three hours later, and I would have been paid close to a thousand dollars. I was presented with every excuse to take out this woman's gallbladder. The only problem: There was no medical reason to do so. Surgeon Paul A. Ruggieri reveals little-known truths about his profession--and the hidden flaws of our healthcare system--in this compelling and troubling account of real patients, real doctors, and how money influences medical decisions behind the scenes. Even many well-informed patients have no idea what may be contributing to the cost of their surgery. With up-to-date research and stories from his practice, Ruggieri shows how business arrangements among hospitals, insurance companies, and surgeons affect who gets treatment--and whether they get the right treatment. Pulling back the curtain from the hospital bed, he explains how to safeguard one's own health (and finances), and how America can make surgery more affordable for all without sacrificing quality care"--