Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
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Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
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Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#2I accidentally stabbed myself in the finger while cutting open a package using a knife. Stupid, I know.
The would was small, maybe 1 centimeter, but deep enough that it wouldn't stop bleeding on its own. My girlfriend insisted we go to the ER (urgent cares around here are closed on Sundays), so we did.
I was the only one there that day. I was ushered in to see a doctor. The doctor looked at the wound, and said, "this is way too small for stiches, let's just use glue." So the ER nurse handed him a skin glue, and he used it to close the wound. After a few minutes, the wound was closed. I was prescribed antibiotics (kitchen knife, in case it had salmonella etc.) and sent my way.
Three months later, the bill arrived: $2,600.
That isn't a typo. Two thousand six hundred god damn dollars for skin glue on a small cut on the finger.
My insurance successfully negotiated it down, but still, the audacity of charging four figures for five minutes of medical care is just absolutely insane.
We desperately need single-payer healthcare in this country.
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#3And it is entirely because the powers that be have rigged the market so that they can charge whatever they want.
How have they accomplished this? First, they set strict quotas on who can be a doctor. Then, they set strict quotas on who can offer what medical goods and products. Then, they strap everyone up with student and business debt.
I'm not saying it is the correct way or not, but there's a reason that in other countries you can buy over the counter things that you can't in the USA.
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#4Because of Obamacare and federal health care, there is no longer true competition to drive down prices.
Heck, I've got health insurance, I always go to the most expensive places. Why not?
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#5 Don't fall for the 'yes, but countries that have cheap healthcare pay for it with taxes'. The US pays more than most from taxes[0].
In Sweden we pay less per capita than americans do (from taxes) and my total _maximum_ healthcare costs for _all_ treatments, medications, surgury etc, that in the US would be paid by your employer or yourself are:
$125/year max for all visits and procedures [1]
+ $250/year max for all prescribed medications (with up to 75% discounts before reaching those $250)[2].
This makes treating my Crohn's + MEN-1 an issue of going to visits, doing surguries and scans, and picking up my medications at the local pharmacy (I order in their app since my medications are rare) every three months.
[0] https://www.visualcapitalist.com/u-s-spends-public-money-hea...
[1] https://www.1177.se/Stockholm/Regler-och-rattigheter/Hogkost...
[2] https://www.apoteket.se/mina-recept-inloggad/mer-om-hogkostn...
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#6I accidentally stabbed myself in the finger while cutting open a package using a knife. Stupid, I know. The would was small, maybe 1 centimeter, but deep enough that it wouldn't stop bleeding on its own. My girlfriend insisted we go to the ER (urgent cares around here are closed on Sundays), so we did. I was the only one there that day. I was ushered in to see a doctor. The doctor looked at the wound, and said, "this…
Interesting logical jump from "medical facilities overcharge" to "we desperately need single-payer healthcare in this country."
Single payer is certainly one possible solution, but it's not the only feasible solution, despite conclusions that availability bias might lead us to.
I'm curious: what was the final price after insurance negotiated on your behalf?
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#7I accidentally stabbed myself in the finger while cutting open a package using a knife. Stupid, I know. The would was small, maybe 1 centimeter, but deep enough that it wouldn't stop bleeding on its own. My girlfriend insisted we go to the ER (urgent cares around here are closed on Sundays), so we did. I was the only one there that day. I was ushered in to see a doctor. The doctor looked at the wound, and said, "this…
Interesting logical jump from "medical facilities overcharge" to "we desperately need single-payer healthcare in this country." Single payer is certainly one possible solution, but it's not the only feasible solution, despite conclusions that availability bias might lead us to. I'm curious: what was the final price after insurance negotiated on your behalf?
You need single payer because you can overcharge anyone who can't negotiate lower rates (i.e. individuals who's personal business with the healthcare system doesn't have much if any effect on it).
Compare that to a state bargaining on behalf of 10+ million customers.
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#8And it is entirely because the powers that be have rigged the market so that they can charge whatever they want. How have they accomplished this? First, they set strict quotas on who can be a doctor. Then, they set strict quotas on who can offer what medical goods and products. Then, they strap everyone up with student and business debt. I'm not saying it is the correct way or not, but there's a reason that in other…
Not only can they charge what they want, it's also almost impossible to compare prices or find out what something costs in advance. With no competition, medical providers may charge what they wish.
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#9I accidentally stabbed myself in the finger while cutting open a package using a knife. Stupid, I know. The would was small, maybe 1 centimeter, but deep enough that it wouldn't stop bleeding on its own. My girlfriend insisted we go to the ER (urgent cares around here are closed on Sundays), so we did. I was the only one there that day. I was ushered in to see a doctor. The doctor looked at the wound, and said, "this…
Interesting logical jump from "medical facilities overcharge" to "we desperately need single-payer healthcare in this country." Single payer is certainly one possible solution, but it's not the only feasible solution, despite conclusions that availability bias might lead us to. I'm curious: what was the final price after insurance negotiated on your behalf?
Any other system is going to be written by lobbyist relying on complexity for cover.
If consumers had as much political strength on capitol hill as the medical industry, another system could be worked out. But they don't. The window was closed on that option with Citizens United.
Re: Americans Are Going Bankrupt from Getting Sick
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Interesting logical jump from "medical facilities overcharge" to "we desperately need single-payer healthcare in this country." Single payer is certainly one possible solution, but it's not the only feasible solution, despite conclusions that availability bias might lead us to. I'm curious: what was the final price after insurance negotiated on your behalf?
You need single payer because you can overcharge anyone who can't negotiate lower rates (i.e. individuals who's personal business with the healthcare system doesn't have much if any effect on it). Compare that to a state bargaining on behalf of 10+ million customers.
Cf. the insurance company negotiating on the above poster's behalf, and my curiosity about the result of those negotiations.