Jennifer Riggs’ Break Glass in Case of Emergency is a witty, sharp, and practical guide through the twisted maze of the American healthcare system. Written with candor and a splash of humor, this book tackles everything from health insurance jargon and hospital chaos to navigating Medicare, Medicaid, and senior care options. It’s part how-to manual, part insider exposé, and part comic relief. Riggs—drawing on her experience as a healthcare executive—shares war stories and hard-won tips in a voice that feels less like a policy lecture and more like a savvy friend guiding you through a bureaucratic jungle.

Reading this book was like being handed the cheat codes to a game I didn’t even know I was playing. I appreciated how Riggs translated mind-numbing insurance language into something I could actually understand without having to Google every third word. She doesn’t sugarcoat the confusion or the frustration that comes with trying to get care, get reimbursed, or just find the right specialist. And yet, she does it all with a kind of dry humor that made me laugh more than once. The stories made me feel seen in the absurdity of it all. The advice is solid, realistic, and rooted in lived experience, not some idealistic “best practices” list.

What really stuck with me wasn’t just the clever tips or the “aha” explanations. It was Riggs’ obvious passion for empowering regular people—especially caregivers and families of seniors—to advocate for themselves. There’s an emotional thread running through the chapters, especially when she writes about aging parents and the invisible labor of caregiving. She writes like someone who’s been in the room when decisions go wrong and wants you to avoid the same heartache. Her blend of empathy and sarcasm hits just right, especially when she takes aim at the red tape and passive-aggressive chaos baked into the system.

Break Glass in Case of Emergency is not the book you dream of reading on a beach, but it is absolutely the book you’ll be glad you read before the next medical crisis hits. It’s a gift for anyone dealing with the stress of insurance, elder care, or just trying to make sense of their benefits. I’d recommend it to caregivers, adult children of aging parents, anyone turning 65, and frankly, anyone who’s ever stared at a medical bill and thought, “This can’t be real.” It’s like getting the behind-the-scenes tour of a haunted house before you go in—terrifying, but way less scary when someone hands you a flashlight and says, “Here’s what to watch out for.”

Pages: 233 | ASIN : B0F9MDQ42T