$26.

[lostnfound]

According to a family member (US expat) living in Germany, that was the total fee for 2 MRIs and 12 physical therapy appointments over the past 12 months. The MRIs were free. Oh, plus two specialist appointments.
If your GP orders it, he says, it’s covered.
He does have to pay $50 for a very complete panel of blood work, done every 3 years.

I have a distant memory of what it was like to live in America that was proud of its humanity and its medical system.

[Hugin]

1. I have that distant memory too...

One reasonable premium covered not only most medical treatment including vision and dental. It also covered hospitalization, short, and long term care.

Please, someone pinch me. I must be hallucinating.

[marble falls]

2. I wouldn't have paid a cent for that. I didn't pay a cent for all the surgeries and tests and treatments ...

... for 12 years of cancer, brucellosis, cat bite hospitalization. VA is the level of care we all deserve, veteran or not.

[Wonder Why]

4. In that case some of us are receiving our punishment. My 20 year VA experience has been less than stellar. Not

horrible but not outstanding. Some of the best and some of the worst I have encountered.

I got so frustrated at the primary care doctors that the consulting pharmacist put in for community care for me. Never been happier except for trying to figure out how I have to work with doctors to get what I need from the VA because of lack of openness by the VA. Mostly, it's not a problem because Medicare/Medigap covers all but medicine so I just have the doctors bill it that way instead of them having to deal with the VA.

All I get directly from VA any more: prescriptions (inexpensive but terrible system), Urologist (best in the world IMHO), Audiology for hearing aids, eyeglasses (but not eye care), CPAP and, intermittently, orthotics.

[AllaN01Bear]

11. i remember public hospitatals . only a hand full left . thanks to hmos and greed.

[a kennedy]

3. I received my husband last bill from his hospital stay for high sodium levels....

I have to pay $1005.50. Insurance did cover a lot, but damn. 🤬 🤬 🤬

[Dave says]

22. Sneeze in a hospital and it's $12,000

[Midnight Writer]

5. I just got a good old American colonoscopy for $15,000. Actual procedure took about 45 minutes.

Took over a year from when I requested it (following weeks of rectal bleeding and two trips to the ER because of severe abdominal pain) to actually getting it done.

Thank God there was no cancer, though there were some pre-cancerous polyps that the doctor said would have probably turned to cancer if "we had not caught them in time".

Ain't capitalism grand?

P.S. $!5,000 is what the hospital charged me on their statement. Medicare paid most of the bill.

[Martin68]

7. I have insurance under the ACA and paid around 200 bucks for my colonoscopies, if I remember.

[Rebl2]

8. I paid

nothing like that the last time I had a colonoscopy six years ago. Less than 500 dollars I believe if even that much.

[Midnight Writer]

9. $15,000 is what the hospital charged, not what I paid out of pocket after Medicare.

[uponit7771]

20. "Ain't capitalism grand?" The "free market" is no doubt not working with healthcare cost

[lostnfound]

23. $15000????? Oh that is CRAZY nt

[Martin68]

6. I lived in Japan for 21 years and was enrolled in their National Health Service. There was a lot of waiting, but the

care was first rate and the cost was absolutely minimal.

[RazorbackExpat]

25. If you're talking about the national health insurance system,

国民健康保険制度、the premiums are based on income and family size, and the insurance pays 70% of necessary medical expenses, including prescriptions. Once you turn 65, you also have to pay for kaigo hoken insurance 介護保険, which is supposed to pay for assisted living expenses.

[multigraincracker]

10. I'm 74 and retired 22 years ago.

Went to the ER and the charges were over $2K. My Medicare and UAW/company insurance covered all but &187.00.
My extended home care, 24 hr/day was free because I married my RN. In the last few years she has saved my life twice. ❤️

[Cheezoholic]

12. Knocking on wood but my healthcare is almost 100%covered by medicaid so it cost me nearly 0.

This is the program that should cover most Americans. My only bills are electric, property and vehicle taxes. Everything I have I paid off before I unwillingly had to retire. I have 3 acres but only mow 1/2 acre. I have quite the spread because I reuse scrap construction materials and am good with my hands. I'm not rich (or no medicaid) but I'm comfy. I can even save enough money to go overseas for a couple week vacation every year or two if I want. My partner owns a 4th acre I signed over to her with our camping trailer on it and it is her "legal address" and she receives about the same care I do. Yeah, maybe a little shady to beat the system there but at least I'm not pulling a Rick Scott. Medicaid style healthcare should be available to all, not just the poor. Its the one government program that really works well for everyone including the medical community. One can wish.

[questionseverything]

21. I thought a person had to have under 2 grand in assets for medicaid?

Am I mistaken?

I do agree it’s the least we should all have for medical coverage

[Cheezoholic]

24. Your property is exempt as long as you live there. Now here in IN its their version of the medicaid expansion via ACA

Because this is a nazi red state it can't be normal medicaid expansion. I'm not100% sure but think most of this is right. IF you're under 60 it's a pain in the ass. For instance they require a work/work search requirement if you're under 60 and depending on your income (of course below poverty level to qualify) you do have to pay a certain amount a month into a "power health savings account" 50% more of your payment if you smoke, that is used for medical costs before insurance kicks in. Under 60 participants also have very small copays depending on income level. Its also run like medicaid advantage in that you have 3 private insurers to choose from and they will get between you and your Dr's and require pre-authorizations and deny at will. I'm 61 so it's fairly straightforward for me.

And also the Covid rules for medicaid in IN stop next month so if you're over 60 you have to pay a minimum of 1 dollar a month, that was waived for Covid. Fucking repukes just gotta poke you with every little stick they pick up no matter how petty.

[wolfie001]

13. Last MRI I had was in 2013 and I think it was over $400........

and just a pic of my ankle joint. CT scan next was over $500. I had pretty good insurance at the time. I'm sure it's way over that now.

[CaptainTruth]

14. There has to be a tax structure to support it.

For example, Italy has nationalized healthcare & once you're diagnosed with a chronic condition there are no charges for treatments & meds, but they also have a 22% VAT (value added tax) that's applied to most transactions, excluding food. I think it's 4% for food. Income tax rates are different too. So everyone pays for medical care, it's not "free," they just pay for it a bit at a time over the course of their lives & those who earn more & spend more pay a larger portion of the total cost for the country.

I can't imagine that happening in the US as long as Republicans can block it because TAXES & SOCIALISM are BAAAD!!!

[haele]

15. I remember when I was a kid and broke my arm.

My parents were working poor students with basic student insurance and had to come up with $75 to get it treated in 1970. I think the hospitalization, and anesthesia/medication was "free" (it was the Children's hospital, a teaching hospital with the University of Washington at the time, and Mom worked there while Dad was a student), just paid for the doctor, anesthesiologist and nurses. They were able to put $25 down for the sedation and setting the arm; and $25 a month after when we went to see the doctor for follow ups.
I looked it up. That's around $610 give or take in today's money.
Now-a-days, it's pretty much out of control.

If one of my granddaughters broke an arm like I did today with my "Cadillac" government insurance, it would cost out pocket around $800 - $1500 (if the anesthesiologist was in network or not), and I doubt they'd keep her in the hospital overnight until they were sure the sedation wore off.
On my insurance, an ER visit deductible is $150 right off the bat, before treatment or triage. Hospitalization is $300. And if you're conscious, most hospitals require you to pay your co-pay or set up an auto pay date when they're ready to release you.
The only benefit we really have is when we use a hospital chain Urgent Care first ($20 co-pay) and they send you to the ER, the co-pay at the lower level treatment facility pays for all subsequent facilities.
As for calling an ambulance, that's an outrageous cost; the city's paramedic ambulance service (owned by an out of state "medical services" capital group) refused to set up in network accounts with any insurance not specific to their corporate home state. So any "X Insurance of California" is not "In Network", as California has certain requirements as to level of care that aren't in their state, and they just don't want to be forced to provide them.
Two years ago, they charged us $1200 just to come and triage. Then $50 "per mile", plus supplies, because they're claiming they're "out of network", even though my insurance company EOB indicated we only had to pay $56. And they've got a contract for millions a year with the city to operate...I wouldn't be surprised to hear they practice Medicare and Medi-Cal fraud for their elderly or indigent patients.

Haele

[BobTheSubgenius]

16. I had a long go-round with the medical system here in BC.

It was a difficult case to diagnose, unless a doctor has seen it before, and the GP who FINALLY took me on his regular patient list (everyone wants to be a specialist, apparently, so GPs are hard to find) said I shouldn't be hard on the diagnosticians that "failed." He told me he had been board certified since the early 80s and had never seen a case. What turned out to be colonies of bacteria that had had wanderlust and meandered into other organs led to diagnoses of liver cancer, then lung cancer, because they looked like small tumours.

I did MANY rounds through a walk-in clinic, every test you could imagine, a stay in ICU, (which finally resulted in the right diagnosis because the Dr. is brilliant - a Staph A infection in my heart), surgery, a stay in cardiac recovery, and 6 weeks of 2-a-day IV antibiotics at home to make sure the entire infection was dead. I'd had a drastically lowered heart function, diagnosed as having 30% lung function, 30% liver function and ZERO kidney function when I was admitted.

Back at home, it was weeks before I could manage the 200 ft> walk to the corner of my block and back, but eventually got to walking 2 miles in 40 minutes, which my GP and cardiologist were THRILLED about. The cardio and the surgeon both told me it was the most damaged heart they'd ever seen anyone survive, so...Personal Best for them!


My total out of pocket was parking and gas.

[pecosbob]

17. I worked as a fisherman when young and so long as I worked on a U.S. documented vessel my health care was free.

Public hospitals. That was before Saint Ronnie Ray-Gun sacrificed them on the altar of profit.

[BSdetect]

18. I gave up trying to get medicare years ago

I have not worked here since arriving in 2003. My wife has been employed all that time.

In Australian I'd be automatically covered - as are female homekeepers etc

This country truly sucks ar health care.

[Skittles]

19. curious if "male homekeepers" would be covered too

?

[Swede]

26. Well I'm Canadian and had a heart attack last year.Wit

With some minor complications this year. MRIs, X-rays, blood tests, ultrasound, EKGs, and god knows what else in the last year. No charge.