Comics I Don’t Understand

Health Insurance

Cidu Bill on Apr 9th 2009

Filed in Bill Bickel, CIDU, Herman, comic strips, comics, humor | 16 responses so far

16 Responses to “Health Insurance”

Marla Apr 9th 2009 at 12:21 am 1

He’s in dire need of seeing a doctor and has flung himself on the desk. The nurse, following procedure, must get the paperwork done first. Even in a blatent emergency. And um, that’s it? Oldest Second City scene in the world. Felt just like this with hubby’s burst gallbladder. Geesh!
fuzzmaster Apr 9th 2009 at 12:25 am 2

Maybe, Marla, but he doesn’t look all that fling-y. Maybe he’s dead?
Mitch4 Apr 9th 2009 at 01:17 am 3

I don’t think there is meant to be more of a joke than the standard complaint about medical paperwork. But seeing it drawn out in this wonderful lurid style, seeing the frowzy left-handed nurse/clerk settled in at her blotter, seeing the patient’s specific desk-sprawl layout … all that makes it vivid and a good little LOL.
less reaity, more fantasy, no baby blues Apr 9th 2009 at 02:38 am 4

He died while she wrote the paperwork but she did not give a fuck. This scene–based on what I have heard about the health care system–is, apparently, quite realistic.
plainwater Apr 9th 2009 at 10:11 am 5

This was an LOL for me even though I have no idea what it could possibly mean.
Dan Apr 9th 2009 at 10:36 am 6

fuzzmaster, I think if he were dead he’d be limp (at least until rigor mortis set in); i.e., his head would be lolling back.
The Ploughman Apr 9th 2009 at 10:43 am 7

If it is a “paperwork before dire emergency” gag, it might read better if the man’s ailment were more external - gushing blood or an arm bent backwards or an extreme amount of vomit… Oh. I think I see why it’s drawn this way.
iloverobots Apr 9th 2009 at 10:55 am 8

You know what would have made this comic perfect? If the guy had an alien bursting out of chest. Now THAT would be funny!!
Kate Apr 9th 2009 at 01:20 pm 9

Is the man’s right hand missing? Maybe his hand is missing and he can’t get into his pocket to get his wallet to see if he has an insurance card?
MJB Apr 9th 2009 at 02:43 pm 10

I don’t get this either. Why are his hands in his pockets?
Lola Apr 9th 2009 at 05:17 pm 11

I don’t think the hands are not in his pockets. More like a white-knuckled grip on the table.
Paul Apr 9th 2009 at 07:59 pm 12

Wouldn’t he be in the emergency room and not somewhere with an “Outpatients” sign if it were an emergency gag?
Ray Brady Apr 9th 2009 at 08:42 pm 13

I think the joke here is that the guy really doesn’t know if he has insurance. He is therefore lying down to be examined, on the assumption that, if he’s got it, the nurse will find it.
Fnord Apr 10th 2009 at 09:51 am 14

I get the feeling this was intended to be a pun of some sort. The sign says “out patients,” two words, instead of one word like in the real hospitals I’ve seen. If that’s not a mistake then it must be part of the punchline (assuming there is one).
Pinny Apr 13th 2009 at 12:38 pm 15

The “Out Patients” sign is pointing further down the corridor. This is the regular inpatients desk.
c2 Apr 14th 2009 at 10:20 pm 16

i suspect it’s a play on inpatients/inpatience. if that’s not it, i can’t make sense of it.