this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2023
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[–] [email protected] 102 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Americans pay more for health care than any other people on Earth. The U.S. ranks last among 11 nations in several categories, including access, efficiency, equity and health outcomes. Even worse, adult life expectancy in the U.S. has fallen below that of 56 countries on six continents.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 10 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 43 points 10 months ago (2 children)

It's the for-profit way, baby!

*cries in corner with lower back pain*

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago

Aye glad your back pain is decreasing :)

Wait... :(

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Just throwing out there that my lower back pain (and pretty much all the other achy bullshit) cleared up when I started lifting weights. Obviously I don't know anything about your situation so if that's not an option for you to try I hope you can find another solution.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago

Seems to make a lot of people sad. And angry. And broke.

Yet...somehow...we can't get this fixed.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago

Yeah, but if you're rich you can cut in line. Won't anyone think of the rich???

[–] [email protected] 88 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I went to an annual check up a month ago. Got my abdomen and throat pushed on for lumps, got a flu shot, got a prescription for ADHD meds (just the paper), got a blood test for cholesterol (cheapest part of the itemized invoice). Total without insurance was $523 for less that a 10min stay, with insurance it was $10. New insurance (Blue Cross) denied paying for my meds even though I've been taking them since middle school. Our country is garbage because we care about investors above all else.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 10 months ago

Had to go for a lung function test recently at the hospital - blew air into a tube for 5 minutes and the bill was $1,600 after insurance 😭

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago

Investors are good at getting Christians to vote in the interest of investors using two or three wedge issues. Investors don't need guns, they have guards, no need for public education, private schools, if they need an abortion, they fly wherever their mistress can get one. Meanwhile, Republicans.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 10 months ago (4 children)

It's amazing how many Americans think we pay more for having the best medical system in the world, instead of the fact that we pay considerably more for an at-best mediocre system by the standards of the industrialized world.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 10 months ago (2 children)

It's amazing for the rich, and career politicians. Just not us plebs.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 10 months ago (2 children)

but one day I might be rich and then people like me better watch out

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago
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[–] [email protected] 21 points 10 months ago (3 children)

$6,000 for a night in the hospital, two CAT scans, and 20 stitches. With insurance.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Thats so sad. Not a knock or anything, but free healthcare is amazing and Americans (along with the rest of the world) deserve better.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

Frankly, I question if we do. Many, even most of us do, but a significant portion of this country appreciates that this shit is out of control and still goes to the polls every November to vote for Republicans. Because they value their hatred more than they value their health.

That's how fucking broken the population of this nation is.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (2 children)

So the price without health insurance would have been anywhere between $40-100k, probably.

Ouch

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

It can be <$6,000 cash and I wouldn't be surprised.

This is the figure I once heard:

Delivering a baby with awesome health care plan: $12,000, you pay $2,000 (of course you pay more monthly for having this plan)

With mediocre health care plan: $8,000 and you pay $3,000

Without health care plan: $4,000 and you pay all of it.

The same $4,000 care is priced based on how much money they can get from you (or your plan)

Same delivery

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

How do poor people afford to have babies? Double whammy given the statistically higher number of babies and limited birth control options for lower incomes.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Oh ho, just wait till you hear about the costs of raising a child!

but seriously, that's a good question, and I have no idea 🙃

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Actually, without insurance, it may be cheaper. Costs are massively inflated because it's expected that the insurance company will negotiate it down. If you have no insurance, they will probably bill you a more "reasonable" rate.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I was speaking more of the billed cost before we're expected to beg the hospital to be lenient so we don't get financially destroyed.

I was born at a hospital that couldn't charge my parents much because they barely had money to their names - through the same process.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Had my gallbladder removed in February, and pancreatitis 2 weeks ago. Spend a total of 3 days in the hospital. Total cost is 500 euro own risk. And 15 euros in parking.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Have uveitis. Multiple times. Tons of blood work. 5 different machines. Multiple eye scans. Three different medications, one has to be taken every hour. Seeing a bunch of specialists. Had to go to emergency multiple times.

About $150 total (all for medication).

It's good to be a Canadian.

[–] spankinspinach 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

I would love a detailed analysis of what this would look like in the US. My gut impulse is tens of thousands. Anyone know?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Am ophthalmologist in USA. Treat uveitis regularly. The two drops I routinely recommend are prednisolone and atropine, which can be bought for under $50 via Goodrx (don't get me started). The retina scan cash price at my office is $40. The basic eye exam fee is $112 for a new patient with dilation. Not sure what other testing they required.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Well, one MRI cost me $10,000, so likely a 6 figures bill

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

that'll cost, uh... your soul

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago

USA USA USA

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Looking it up St. Lucia is around 300k per night

[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago

That's gonna be a no from me dawg.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

I get sick just from this fact

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

The Fiji one is $2800 + tax per night for the single room villa.

Looking up some rooms in the UK, they stop showing prices above about £4k/night and change the "select" button to "enquire".

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

What's the St. Lucia one called?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Lover’s Deep St. Lucia Submarine

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Just had a random medical event that could have resulted in heart failure where I was in the hospital for a week. Major surgery included before insurance was 210,000$ lol

Still waiting to see what insurance denies coverage of

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

~~Indeed~~ In debt*

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Couldn't afford that without an Auslandskrankenschein

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

St. Lucia looks cool and scary at the same time. Hope it doesn't spring a leak while you're asleep! 😟