Why Americans Have So Much Medical Debt
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- Опубліковано 7 січ 2023
- Widespread medical debt is a uniquely American problem, with medical debt totaling at least $195 billion in 2019. It was once thought that the problem was that Americans were largely uninsured, but even those with health coverage can run into problems. Over 90% of the U.S. population has some kind of medical insurance but about 40% of adults say they have at least $250 in medical debt. Watch the video above to learn how we got here and why having health insurance isn’t enough to protect people from medical debt.
Produced by: Charlotte Morabito
Graphics by: Josh Kalven
Supervising Producer: Lindsey Jacobson
Additional Sources: Kaiser Family Foundation, Journal of the American Medical Association, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
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Why Americans Have So Much Medical Debt
I’ve personally known people to die because they couldn’t afford to see a doctor or had to go into bankruptcy because of medical debt. It’s ridiculous.
How is it ridiculous, if someone can't pay their medical bill then they are a negative asset to the society and deserves no special treatment.
My guy, I had to get an appendectomy. It was either I get it or I die. Well, now I'm 10 thousand dollars deep in medical bills. I'm starting to think I should have just let it burst.
Sorry to hear that but he probably would die anyway regardless of seeing a doctor or not. Believing a doctor can save a person from an illness is dumb. The real issue is prevent from getting some serious illness such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, etc. Most of such illness is preventable or at least can be delayed.
Speaking of seeing a doctor, I have found Doctor Google and Doctor Eric Berg are the best ones and they are 100% free.
@@grumpycat9065 Sorry to hear that but 10 gram is not a lot of money, especially talking about saving a life. .
Lies again? MILF DIVISION
after living in 6 countries, I can honestly say my US medicare and insurance costs were at least ten times higher than every other country. Some medication that costs $100 in the US with >$10 deductible. I agree that French doctor fees of $25 per visit and $1 Indian antibiotic treatments are too low, but you shouldn’t have to re-mortgage the house to get medical attention!
How are they too low?
Drug prices in USA are indeed exorbitantly high.
This is what happens when the government doesn't regulate the drug prices and citizens of your country think that universal health care is some kind of communism.
When I tried to get a doctor in France to get the cheap ones you either would need to wait a long time or they were really bad.
Oh really
@@reginageorge8802 Yes. There is a reason why people rather risking their lives to come here illegally instead of living as an immigrant in Europe. European social services are horrible. It is better to just pick up a simple job here and pay your own expenses out of pocket.
Can't fix what lobbyists don't want fixed
I guess we've never heard of Single Payer? The thing most civilized countries have had for decades. o_O
@@williamyoung9401 lobbyists don't want that, so it won't happen.
So what the solution.....
bingo
@@msheidiho2004 If you believe in free market, the fix is to lower the requirement of becoming a doctor. You do not need 8 years training to become a family physician. The cost of seeing a doctor will drop to $50 as from $200.
On the other hand, if you hope the government can take care of you, go for the universal system.
As of now I am doctor for myself. I found I am a better one at this internet era. I probably would never see a doctor in my life. I plan die at home.
In us healthcare is a business rather than a service. While the rest of the world healthcare is kept affordable for the larger society, US will not.
business is a service
@@freddyfriend5462 what is meant was service as in helpful aid, with low or no monetary benefit. Business as for-profit mindset with a corporate structure. The same medicines cost less, the operations are much cheaper in whole world because profit at the expense of people ,such a mindset is not there at least in most countries when it comes to healthcare.
@@vicky26pen the problem in us. They dont have a real public hospitals.like other countries. Us the biggest budget in healthcare but the budget didn’t go to piblic hospitals.
I say medicare for all. Let the government negotiate prices.
@@carloconopio6513 ,
Almost like someone lobbied to remove more and more of government from the process.
My biggest issue with this is the video focuses on mostly doctors rather than pharmaceutical companies or the root motivation why insurance loves high deductibles. The costs aren’t by accident, they’re by design
While Rx costs are skyrocketing, I can tell you with 100% certainty that drug spend is still a small % of the overall healthcare bucket. Medical spend is in the trillions of dollars, while prescription drug spend is in the hundreds of billions. I am not saying that we dont have an issue with Rx spend, I am simply saying its not the main driver of cost.
If that was the deciding factor
You can’t expect a Democrat State run media outlet to point out the obvious comrade.
@@nathanr5825 The fundamental problem is that government refuses to regulate the industry while legally enforcing a private monopoly.
The politicians choose to sacrifice the integrity of the nation by refusing to use their power. They don't just refuse to use their power, they use it to harm the public with things like capping the amount of new doctors able to work in the country so their wages stay stupidly high. They also refuse to subsidize medical school to incentivize price scalping and medical fraud/malpractice, then criminalize the poor who self-medicate due to a lack of access to affordable care.
Not just pharmas but everything touching insurance companies: pharmacies, hospital systems, ever growing "groups" of practices. In the last ten years the amount of doctors leaving their own practices to join big ones or big systems absorbing smaller doctors has increased significantly. Even when doctors don't showcase they are part of a group youll find out when you go that they have recently been bought by so and so group and now I need to show my insurance and I'd every time I go no matter what because new policies.
“How can we fix it?” Judging by our track record I don’t think we can fix anything. It will probably just keep getting bigger and bigger like all the other problems that have been boiling in this country for the past 40 years.
What happened 40 years ago?
@@artv232 40 years ago when Regan changed medicare/Medicaid payments
Exactly we are excellent at creating the problem but never seem to find a collective viable solution.
@@Charles-_- so for you what is the best solution?
@@Charles-_- there is a solution out there, that has been out there for decades. The VA was crested specifically to help veterans and until congress started to nickel and dime them and start denying items during Vietnam (Agent Orange and the other Rainbow Pesticides), ran very efficiently.
In spite of issues in recent years had it not been for the VA items like traumatic brain injury would not be looked at in sports and the higher designs of prosthetics wouldn't be considered
In fact the 4th mandate of the VA is acting as an emergency backup to tge US health care system. During much of the covid lockdowns VA personal were known mobile clinics aiding people
I had kidney surgery last month here in Canada and it was 100% covered by public health, start to finish it cost me nothing, the total bill approximatley would have been $25,000. I'm disabled from birth and can't work, I fully appreciate public health care, in the USA I would have been left to die.
would they have put you into debt or would they have left you to die? It's one or the other.
Not really. US has lots of disability benefits especially for those that can’t work as a result. The other thing is you did pay for $25K just not in lumpsum but over your entire life as taxes.
Which is more affordable for most than a lumpsum bill in which you have to take a loan out on, work 3 jobs, and file for bankruptcy.
@@L3th4LQu4rK in most of the rest of the developed world, the tax increase is lower than what americans pay in deductibles, copays and premiums
@@L3th4LQu4rK
Only if they paid taxes.
It's super simple actually. Healthcare is, in majority of countries, a service provided by the people (tax money), for the people. In the US, it's a business like any other - if you can afford it, you get the service. As cruel as it sounds, that's the way it is. Also, I think it has something to do with general lack of empathy for others around you, for your "fellow" Americans. I'm from Europe and no way would people sit idly whilst others around them died or went bakrupt due to poor health.
This. There is a big sense here that people don't want to have to pay for "other people's bad health", with the implication being that many times its their fault that their health is bad and so no one else should have to pay for it. Of course this is flawed, because they pay for other people anyway with increased premiums and other costs (and because that's an awful way to think).
@@desertrose0027 its all because of decades of propaganda by insurance companies and large medical groups, they've convinced people of this selfish mindset because the US status quo makes them rich. But it's clear compared to the rest of the developed world that the US system is needlessly expensive, costs twice as much per person on average, and gets worse results. Imagine paying double for a worst car...
@@frevazz3364 of course the misinformation is also a big problem. People think that we have the best system in the world, when it's only great if you can afford it. They don't know what it's like in other countries, except the horror stories that Fox News tells them.
@Kria... you're TOTALLY RIGHT. I've never understood the sheer lack of empathy, teamwork, assistance, etc. from others when and if you mention that you're ill. If anything, you're treated AS A PARIAH. Or worse--you're considered 'lazy', LOL! In late 2019, I contracted pretty much the worst type of COVID-19 one could get without actually dying, but I happened to be extremely strong, resilient, and intelligent enough to attempt my own recovery. It absolutely ruined everything I'd worked toward regarding health and fitness over my 30+ years, and now... I'm pretty messed up. BUT I AM STILL HERE.
Yet... guess what? ABSOLUTELY NO ONE GAVE TWO SHEETZ. I was mocked, cajoled, ignored, lambasted, ridiculed, and even threatened for even MENTIONING C-19, pandemics, comparisons to the 1917 plague, etc. etc. I was literally loathed, cast out, and treated like garbage... and it was AWESOME. :) It was truly awesome to realize that this is the reality of who people really are. The truth is simple. NO ONE CARES unless you can do something for them. If you're weak, they'll revert to their cro-magnon brains and bash the hell out of you, lol. Humanity is beyond repair. At least, it is from my perspective and location.
Cheers!
@@desertrose0027 Some people here also feel this way, even I feel this way to an extent. But at the same time, I'd rather pay for "those" people if it means EVERYONE else will be covered as well. I'd rather protecte everyone than punish the few and I think that kind of selflessness and compassion is seriously lacking in the American society in general. How else to explain the lack of guaranteed maternity leave, pensions and healthcare? Like, I cannot imagine NOT having guaranteed and paid maternity leave, how do you guys even decide to have a child in those conditions...
Healthcare should be a public utility, not a business model.
Its ok if they have public and private hospitals
@@carloconopio6513 Why? Dutch and German Hospitals are all high quality and innovative. No need for private hospitals for the rich and privileged. This must be possible in the USA as well.
@@CrownRider I go to a private hospital and their services are really good. Why should it be run by the state?
@@georgegillespie3737 Government institutions and semi Government institutions, such as hospitals, are not directly controlled financially by politicians in Europe. The politicians have to deal with coalition partners instead of having one party to change the rules whenever they want. Trusting the government is pretty normal in Europe while in the US people tend to mistrust the government in General.
@@CrownRider I don't hate government. I just don't think private hospitals are bad.
What I found disturbing after my Dad got out of the hospital was the number of shocking "billing errors". He thought everything was paid up and good to go, then a mystery bill for $25k comes in. Not itemized, no explanation. He called the hospital and they couldn't even say what it was for, but insisted he had to pay it. Several calls later and they finally said it was an error and to disregard. Then another bill for even more came in, same lack of itemization, same lack of explanation. Hospital couldn't say what it was for, but again wanted him to pay. This went on for about a year. He'd get a mystery bill, call the hospital and get the runaround, then after several days, be told it was an error and to disregard. Considering how many of these "billing errors" there were, it led me to wonder if the hospital was incompetent or if they were deliberately harassing a man who'd just lost his wife in the hopes of getting him to pay money he didn't owe.
That's a good question..
Sounds like Penn Medicine..
Same thing happened to me after having my baby last year. I’m still getting random bills for me and my baby that I’ve paid or are for something new. It’s a nightmare 😭
Smells like financial predators to me. Get rid of capitalism, and you get rid of the financial predators.
My husband fell a couple of weeks ago and split open his nose and banged his forehead onto the concrete so I took him to the hospital to make sure he didn't fracture his skull or have a brain bleed. They sewed him up and did a CT scan. He was in the ER for about 3 hours. Total cost: $42,282.00. Really? That's what someone without insurance would be expected to pay? He was examined, his wound sutured, had the CT scan and an EKG. That's it! They sent the bill to the VA, who paid the hospital $576.00 and we didn't pay anything. $576 doesn't sound unreasonable for what was done.
What hospitals bill cash is not always what you see get billed. The billed price is usually just a formality but not necessarily what they expect to get paid.
Hospitals have financial assistance programs. Many times they even wipe the entire bill if you fall under a certain income percentage.
I know because this happened to us.
@@diegolara4202 I'm aware of that. I know they will also negotiate, but a bill like that will scare the bejesus out of a patient.
Can you imagine going to the grocery store and there are no prices on the shelf? Why do we have to sign a statement that says that we will pay a hospital bill BEFORE we receive service??? This is NOT medical care..it's extortion!!!😰
The reality of those in-network and out-of-network plans is that the insurance companies dictate what medical practices are allowed to be provided to patients when it is supposed to be the physician's responsibility to determine the best course of action. This is in-part due to those insurance companies holding conferences and "educational seminars" to physicians that try to get them to lean towards certain cost-effective practices and procedures but not necessarily what is best for certain patients. This results in some physicians, who don't lean into what insurance companies are telling them to do, to be out-of-network and costs are higher. The fact of the matter is that lower cost treatments are not the best for everyone, but insurance companies DO NOT CARE - they will only pay for what THEY decide is good enough for you.
Read Noam Chomsky. You will learn so much more ...
Insurance companies only care about making profits and as long as the government continues to please them without making laws and regulations, forcing them to put the patient first, it will continue to happen.
@@Cier433 Not just insurance companies. Almost all corporations in the world are like this. They follow the Vile Maxim that Adam Smith talked about in his Wealth of Nations. All for ourselves, nothing for everyone else' ...
@@DipayanPyne94 but other companies nonproblem making as much monet as they can. But if you go into healthcare as your business then yes make money but be fair about it and do the best you can you your customers
You cannot have the Fox guard the henhouse.
My wife was sick, I went to find a doctor.
I have great insurance.
I asked, "Do you take sick people as patients?"
NO, too much time and effort.
Not to mention how many people have avoided care due to cost. I've done it more times than I can count.
Which might run into severe consequences...
20yr old hospital nurse. This debt needs to resolved by the people who caused it…..hospitals and insurance companies not patients!! Healthcare is a necessity for every single human. Greed greed greed is what feeds the need.
@CANADIAN UKRANIAN or move to Europe or Asia for your treatment.
So nurses are willing to work at McD salaries so that patient bill is low? Or is it a question of tax everyone else but me?
@@tindrums No, you start by getting rid of administration bloat and regulating medical supply costs. Take profit out of it and focus on care accessibility, adequate staffing (so less stress for nurses), and fair pay.
Also: CEO's and their whole crew don't need to be making tens to hundreds of times what doctors and nurses make.
@@keropi193 i dont agree. I have seen it myself. Org A - high pay for teachers. Higher for principal. Org B - reasonable but lower pay than A for teachers... multiple times (5x) for the principal. School B works well. Everything is well managed. Students and parents are happy.
School A.. everything uncoordinated. Teachers work wen they want. Students dont come. Nobody cares.
You need better management for effective running. It is fashionable to diss administrators and CEOs. Without them everythinv falls into pieces and no one is happy.
@@tindrums That's not how the US medical systems work. When they say administration they mean that they have two three or four layers of insurance companies and servicers between you and the actual hospital bill.
Please talk about our med schools charging too much and the time it takes them to graduate is waaay longer than the rest of the world. That's big!
@CANADIAN UKRANIAN One issue with your Canada plan. As a person who, at one moment, was supposed to migrate to Canada, Canadian government doesn't look same way to it's citizens and aliens healthcare-wise. So if you are a migrant and have no coverage from a Canadian government provided, your healthcare bills may not necessarily be lower burden than in US. Same for Australia as well, btw.
Yup and my Niece started her med school in the UK at 18.. I.e at bachelors level. Why in the US do you have to get a worthless bachelors first BEFORE going to med school? Just adds unnecessary cost to the system.
I have a high deductible insurance. I know I can afford the deductible when I need care but I have no idea what or if the insurance covers after that because how complicated everything is. Hopefully I stay young and healthy forever. 🤞 Thanks American healthcare system!
Take good care of yourself. Stay away from doctors.
Can’t speak for the entire left, bu since I am now considered far left here is what I want.
Health Care for everyone regardless of ability to pay.
Social Safety Net for when individuals in need. Nobody in this country should go hungry.
A fair tax code. I pay a lower percentage of my income now that I make a decent amount, than I did when I made $35k. How is that fair?
Large scale public transportation. If people can get to a job, they can work.
Affordable higher education. Thank the Gods I served in the Army. Otherwise I could not have afforded college, gotten a good job and started a dividend account to pay for my two girls (3 and 8) to go to college. But, not everyone wants to be, or can be in the service. There has to be a better way.
Oh don't worry, I can guarantee they will try to screw you over in Any case! They tried to tell me I didn't get approval to use the Anesthesiologist when I got approval for surgery. Oh so I suppose I should have surgery while fully awake and without pain relief then eh?
Get a copy of your insurance benefits plan. By law it is all written there.
And to think people in Ireland complain that to go to the emergency room, we have to pay €200 be it a heart attack or simple stitches if you don't have private insurance. That's 2.2 days minimum wage here. I could not imagine spending a whole months worth for just the deductible.
Heart attack in the US is likely to lead to bankruptcy.
Nah it's a week's pay WITH INSURANCE here (minimum wage)
If no insurance, it's like a years salary of a minimum wage worker
@@contemporarydncethot0382 That's so sad. A good friend of mine, half-American, who lives in New York now had been severely burnt as a child and got burnt again on her new skin grafts, and rather than going to the hospital, she asked her friends to wrap her up in wet towels and fly her to Ireland where she was treated for 200€.
A last-minute flight from New York would be over 1000€ but the 7 hours of extra pain and cost of the flight was worth saving her tens of thousands of dollars to repair and replace her skin grafts.
That's so awful and worse she moved back a year later.
I don't even go to the doctor. The last time, a routine blood test at my doctor's office cost me $800. It cost my daughter through her Dr. 185 and an uninsured friend 78. The same blood tests. Too stressful going to doctor.
You can order and pay for your own blood tests online. Check different websites. You pay online and select a lab near you. Go to lab. They draw blood and send you report which you can share with doctor. I saved $300 this way. My doc ordered pelvic ultrasound. Their lab charges $600. I drove 1 hour and a half to an ultrasound school. A student did it then the instructor who is a licensed tech. Cost $60. They found cancer and saved my life. We must be active consumers which is hard when you are sick or in crisis.
Ukraine. Blood test are free. No cost at all. And that was always like that.
We make around $130,000 US in our household and we've been paycheck to paycheck much of this year due to medical bills. Had no choice but high deductible HSA, and when you suddenly have an ambulance ride, and yet another ER visit, things get crazy quickly. It's effing ridiculous.
Try some options in India. Medical is really cheap there and very Good... Choose Mumbai banglore Ahmedabad etc .... Lots of specialist doctor and no long queue for appointment (only to compare with Canada or US)
My wife get c section delivery in one of the best hospitals in Pune and it cost me INR 50000 ie 700 USD
I would suggest to try and rent a basement or your garage as a storage room 🤷♀️ but it’s all just temporary fixes, as long as a broken leg can bankrupt you…
@@nishantpatidar And get some tasty ESBL and MRSA etc as bonus on top. Yummy!
Simple never pay those medical debts
@@nishantpatidar medical is cheap did you know the terrible situation of free hospital of india. It's trash buddy that's why many people go to private hospitals though can't afford it my father's treatment after accident costed itself 6-7 lakh which destroyed my whole family did you know how much powerfully private hospitals & Pharmaceutical companies emerged in india
They are ready to charge thousand for every hour spend in hospital
Ha.. I went to get my foot x-ray yesterday. I instisted on cost estimate before moving on. 2 clicks and they said it'll be $2000. I limped outta there.
Such a scam!
I spend two days in New York Hospital, including one night in the Emergency Room where They put one injection, One MRI, and Check my heart and send me a bill for $37,000.00. This is a big business in this Country thanks to the politicians. We have money to give hundred thousands of millions to the military and politicians of other countries but we don't have to take care of our people.
thanks to the insurance and healthcare companies paying lobby (bribes) to the politician
thats really cheap only 37k for 3days. i got a friend who was injured goes to hospital. his bill was 150k for 7days in hospital. he got bill from 6 different doctors, facilities.
@@jackli6592 capitalist misery race
did u pay?
@@jackli6592common L
Healthcare in the U.S. is a disgrace.
The american healthcare is a huge money making scam.
Never ask yourself "what's wrong with our system?". There's nothing wrong. Its working exactly as it was designed.
American retirees may choose between Original (fee for service) Medicare insurance or the corporate-sponsored PPO's called Medicare Advantage. There may be lower premiums with MA, but the insurance companies often deny permission for necessary care.
Yes true. There is NO "free lunch".
Hospitals over charge . How us it possible that a single dose of aspirin cost $34.00. Absolutely disgusting. I refuse to pay their prices.
^^ this is 100% the issue. Gouging at every level.
agree...it's the prices that are the underlying problem, fix that part first, same as prices for college/education...the costs are absurd
A box of 20 aspirin or paracetamol cost about 50 cents here. Available in every supermarket.
@@asphalthedgehog6580 cheaper than that here, also available in every grocery or convenience store, but in a hospital the markup is astronomical, which is the OP's original point
The answer came to me recently:
Hospitals are forbidden from charging the Uninsured a lower cost then the Insured....
However, insurance companies can negotiate costs down for themselves!
Let that sink in as it explains so much:
The Hospital has to set a price that it knows is high enough that, after negotiations, it will still be able to cover it's own bills and keep functioning as a hospital. Once they have set that price they can not, without becoming targets for lawsuits, change it just because they are dealing with someone who isn't insured. That would be having two sets of books and would likely even violate all sorts of Federal Laws.
I guess, in theory, you could go into your local hospital and negotiation a cost plan just of your own... but we know how well that will work. We simply lack the millions of dollars we can threaten to with-hold from the hospital, by making it 'out of service' like the Insurance Companies can. It isn't going to work at all if we are trying to do it after having accepted their services, often when we are presented with the bill and after that second heart attack is when most people start begging to fix it.
- Not a lawyer, is not legal advise, but... America never fails to stun me.
Individuals will suffer just so a company can make a profit off said suffering...
And they fight you if you point out it doesn't have to be that way... oh America!
I recently went to see a throat specialist (otolaryngologist) to take a look at my vocal cords as I had been having trouble getting my voice fully back after contracting a viral infection. I ended up being referred to a voice specialist who I saw a single time for about 10 minutes to "diagnose" me and then set up subsequent appointments to start vocal therapy. I had tried to ask about pricing as I knew this was a specialty doctor, but was told that I'd have to wait until my insurance processed everything. I ended up with a $600 out of pocket bill and was completely floored. I promptly cancelled the vocal therapy and said screw it. I can't afford that and neither can 90% of Americans.
I used to work for a cardiologist in Florida that made $750,000 a year yet he paid his staff $10 an hour, the really sad part is he sent half of the money back to India. Our medical system is a train wreck.
Big problem is not he sending money to india .... Big problem is how he is making such a big amount.... Just by charging patient.... Which is completed unfair..... If he make 250000 then to he can live a lavish lifestyle but in turn he can reduce the medical bill of patients to 1/3 and for those patients who are earning less then 80k
For them it's a big amount
@@nishantpatidar I had to leave that job just on ethical grounds. One time he flew to Vegas to give a talk for a drug called Plavix and they paid him $33,000 for a two day talk. Yet for Christmas he gave the staff $20 gift cards, it was so disgusting.
Dude people don't want to talk thats what's going on ...doctor are making bank of these patients and act as if hospital and insurance are the only problem. They are all crooks just wanting for the government to give them more money.
@@BryceLovesTech You did well. And both things were wrong: sending money back to India and paying those low wages to the staff.
-_- People can do whatever they want with their duckies. Including sending money to their home countries.
Our system is so bad. Just because a person "has" insurance, doesnt mean they actually have insurance or are covered. Deductibles are in the thousands of dollars (and higher for families). That means you dont actually have any insurance until you have paid that initial deductible. Even if you do meet that deductible, you have to pay your co-insurance of 10, 20 or even 30 percent of the bill. If you are extremely unlucky and you hit your out of pocket maximum, that means you have paid anywhere between 2 grand (for an individual with a very expensive plan) and 40 GRAND!!!!! This is before you even consider the amount the company takes out of your paycheck to have "insurance". The fact that the quality of health care a person in the USA receives is almost entirely based on where they work is an absolute joke.
The biggest problem is the cost of care.Recent example, my son hit his head and we went to a free standing emergency clinic nearby for an assessment. No diagnostics, just a visual by the Dr. Less than 10 minutes in the hallway, we never got a room. Treatment was antibiotic ointment to the head, no steri strips or stitches. Cost $4,000! It was a weekend night and there was no other option to see a Doctor.
That is ripped off. Here in India, it would cost $4
Our medical insurance system in this country is a gargantuan embarrassment and a failure by every measure.
I'm surprised that american people have not risen up about this. They only have to look at other developed countries to see how their governments treats it's citizens.
@@moreayf2319 Which is stupid
@@greatest7391 We have but the problem is no one agrees on how to fix it
Medicare for all.
Now.
You do know that Medicare is VERY expensive right? its $165/m each and there is a 20% UNLIMITED liability you carry.. In other words if you need $1M in treatment, your out of pocket will be $200k! Oh and that doesn't include medications or dental/vision. So you need extra insurance above the $165/m each. And that insurance is not cheap if you want decent coverage.
@@frankish5314 I pay $160/m and $380/y out off pocket in The Netherlands........................thats it. For everything!!!
in Thailand, going to see the doctor require no appointment. You can walk in the hospital at any working time and any day. this is free of cost without insurance. those who had low income will go to clinic before the doctor sends them to the hospital with bypass. those who have insurance will go to private hospital.
last time my daughter had a food poison, she went to see the doctor and was sent to admit in public hospital. she got a private room and stayed for 2 nights. It costs me $80 for everything.
we also don't need prescription to buy most of the medicine.
Can a foreigner go to Thailand for healthcare tourism? I assuming foreigners will have to pay more than locals but yet it will be very affordable compared to the US costs. Am I right?
@@deepdude4719 yes. you can search for health care tourism in Thailand. the cost of round-trip flights, the operation, and a month of premium house will be less than just the operation cost in the US.
@Deep Dude healthcare tourism from America is common in my city which is located in southern India named chennai. City has special private affordable hospitals for expats.
Too dirty , in Thailand and not sanitary in the hospitals . No thanks .
@@arihantdev1630 thank you so much. This helps.
Health care in the US sucks
I know right thank god I'm Regina George I'm rich and live in New york city London Tokyo And own several homes in Paris
@@reginageorge8802 F New York City, all it stands for, the people and politicians who inhabit it.
Dental debt!!!! Dental insurance covers $1200/ year. But most things cost far more. 1 implant $4500, 1 root canal $1200 + $1000 for crown, 1 surgical extraction $500, 1 uncomplicated extraction $200, set of regular dentures top bottom $6000, etc.
I just had a procedure that didn't work. I have insurance. It's something like $1500/month for the premium. My cost for the procedure? $7,000.
you pay 1500 dollar a month for your health insurance? 1500 dollars? thats way too much. you must have a good job to be able to afford that. i know 1 thing nobody in the netherlands with a normal job is able to afford that literally no one. most mortgage are already 1500 per month for a normal house. if we had this as well we would have had 3000 alone for health insurance and mortgage. 3000 euro is not even an average salary we have per month lol
@@metalvideos1961 it costs a lot of money to live in the US. I have a payment plan over two years to pay for the procedure.
This is why many people don't have any health insurance in the US. It's too expensive
@@KevinBauman I understand. yeah the USA is often seen more as a buisness then an actual country that wants to provide for their citizens. i am dutch myself we have tons of problems with our government ofc like any other country. but at least we have universal healthcare. and if you live under the poverty line the government will help you with paying for it. thats the case with me. i get reduction on my healt insurance and also rent. because healthcare is mandatory to have in the netherlands. But trust me living costs in the netherlands have sky rocketed as well though. still tons of people with money problems especially the middle income earners.
The No Surprises Act saved my best friend. Her baby was born prematurely and had to spend several weeks in the NICU, which was in an in network hospital. But she wasn’t told that most of the providers at the NICU were out of network. It was an emergency (and early) birth, so she couldn’t exactly look it up. The No Surprises Act meant that the $260,000 of out of network bills she was given were reduced to $8,000 of in network bills
Massive reduction, but that's still $8,000 too much.
In the UK, whether it's a natural birth or a cesarian, the cost at the point of service is the same, NIL.
The affordable care act was anything but affordable lol
Currently paying off my hospital bill because I ended up in the hospital a A MONTH before my health insurance went into effect back in 2021. I been paying medical bills for two years now and it won’t be completely paid off until the end of this year.
I don't want free healthcare I just want affordable healthcare. The prices of medical services does not have a connection with reality.
What's the "real" price?
If you have health insurance you should have a full coverage...this will be never fixed because of insurance companies' lobbies...
The problem is medicine isn't as much of a free market as many people try to argue. Health decision isn't like picking which phone to get because there's a huge imbalance of information (most people don't have enough medical knowledge to make the right decision), the consequences of making wrong decision is far greater and often irreversible, and sometimes you don't have the luxury of time and ability to make the decision. A system that puts pressure on patients to make "informed" decision is inherently bad and this is why a lot of Southeast Asian countries have universal health insurance system with huge government intervention so these pitfalls don't get burdened on the patients. My issue with American health care system isn't so much on the cost of insurance but this inherently bad design to put difficult decision making responsibility on the patients.
You never know how much you will pay in the end.
It's not always the patient making the decisions
A core issue is what the insurance company says can be done and how it can be done
@@cliffcorson4000 for me the us need to spend there healthcare budget 100 percent in public hospitals.the gov hired doctors nurses etc then they negotiate in pharma for medicine. Whose thế cheapest. Because the private hospitals can run itself. Then the people have option . If you have money go to private hospitals. If you broke go to public hospitals. Simple
I used to pay for health insurance through my old job but after a year or so working there I went to the emergency room for an ankle injury. The bill for it was around $1,400 and I was still responsible for $1,200 of it. I don't pay for health insurance anymore and the bills will just go in the trash can. Health care is sorta free to me.
Happy to be and live in Europe! What a mess. And even though everyone likes to fix it... A broken political system just wouldn't allow this ever to get fixed.
Exacly..
Why?! Because our healthcare system is run like a damn business, squeezing every cent out of us, for standard procedures. Healthcare is not considered standard but a commodity. Our entire system here in the US is backwards: education, housing, retail market, the list is endless. How we keep accepting this way of life, without protest, is beyond me.
In America, we like to blame Americans instead of corporations for the high cost of medical care, education and housing. I retired overseas to another country.
Please which country did you chose???
@@deepdude4719 My parents are from Jamaica. I was born in Britain.
I’ve never paid my medical bills. There was a time when I was under suicide watch in a hospital and the psychiatrist was on vacation and I wasn’t able to leave until he saw me so I was stuck there for 2 weeks with no actual help racking up thousands. And for what? I came out the hospital still depressed but with more stress because I had a debt I couldn’t pay off
What, no cool suicide spots in your locale?!?
@@andretokayuk8100 no :’c
if they find out you have insurance they always try to keep you so they can start racking up the bill
@@babylilbunny Don't go it alone, take some government prostitutes with you..)/*
Some other points to this saga include the operational costs of small practice Dr.'s. Small clinics are taxed and burdened more than they should be. It's difficult to find a Dr. now that isn't apart of a major hospital chain. Another issue is State's putting floor pricing on Medical procedures, forcing up prices, especially in medical diagnostics. The lack of preventative medicine is also a major player in medical costs - people not taking care of themselves etc. A lot of American live extremely unhealthy lives and when combined with sudden medical issues puts patients in a terrible situation. The ACA guaranteed quarterly profits for major Health Insurers in exchange for getting backing by the industry to get the bill passed!! The whole thing is a fkn mess. What else would expect from Congress?
Single Payer Systems can fix that too.
Why collect Tax on Hospitals that you just then spend back on the hospital?
Exempt them as part of the Health Care Program and find other ways to make it cheaper for Hospitals to operate.
@@lostbutfreesoulone of the few issues with single payer systems is no one is wiling to incur the increased taxes to fund such a system. Another flaw is the unnecessary wait times, like in Canada where their waiting 6 months for life critical procedures!! And even THEY don't have a true single payer system. Their government covers the bulk of most of the costs, but then they have a secondary insurance, that is usually ran by private insurances, who help cover the remainder or what the primary insurance won't pay. Our own country's Medicare patients are doing this very thing in our system. Government doesn't cover everything unfortunately.
Funny how they didnt show Alaska. A place where Alaskan Natives (including myself) have state provided healthcare through IHS (Indian Health Services) which covers MOST healthcare costs. I have never paid a dime for healthcare out of pocket… on top of that, we have no state income Tax… crazy how that works 🥰
And the rest of Americans pay for it. Nothing is free. 33 trillion in debt and getting bigger. At some point we will have to take drastic measures to get people off the government tit
Why would they show Alaska? Native American health insurance is federally funded so it has no connection to the state (thankfully). Alaska has no state income tax because our revenue comes from taxing oil production. But oil production has been dwindling while costs have dramatically gone up, so at some point, we may need a state income tax, huge cuts, or some type of combination.
@@tira2145 Nobody says it is free. The point is affordable at the point of access.
@@thomast3570 they said that they never paid a dime out of pocket. Sounds like it's 'free' to me. Read the comment.
The only developed country I know that people could go bankrupt over medical bills…. 🤦♂️
The American healthcare system is great as long as you don't get sick.
interesting, why is it so expensive without an insurance in the first place? Is there a fair price for medicines, doctors, nurses and hospital services before insurance kicks in?
cause hospital are run by corporations which isn't the case in europe.
Doctors in America are the highest-paid in the world.
@@spacetoast7783 wrong it is Australia and Switzerland fetch!
@@spacetoast7783 hmm... Guess I'm not getting my question right. My concern is, why does it have to take insurance to bring down cost? My feeling is, insurance system in the US has charged those uninsured unfairly high to pay those insured and those not able to pay at all.
it's not the doctors' fees...it's the test costs, medicines and hospital charges
I think it's impossible for US to adapt universal healthcare like most of other countries because as a society, they are so divided, a capitalist society (hate any form of socialism), they love their freedom too much, they are a "me,me" society rather than a "we" society (we can see that by how they handle the pandemic), too much pride (they think they are better than the rest of the world so they refuse to learn from other countries), they are highly unhealthy country (1/3 is overweight and another is obese and they promote it as body positivity) and lastly, they are a litigious society (they love to sue left and right). They have too many problems to solve before they can have universal healthcare.
Everything u mentioned is true, we can't be the best country if we have so many major issues, anyone who thinks dat is ignorant and biased
Also, the reason trans people exist is cuz we created them, society tells them dat specific traits and interests are gender exclusive, leading them to think dat they have to transition in order to be a certain way. We confused them
They are arrogant and think they are always the best in the world. LOL
Not like the “we” societies did much better on the pandemic in the end
You arent wrong. Americans are complacent and paranoid when it comes to anything that challenges our view of the world and how things should be done. Personally I lean left on healthcare, its a common joke that you refuse ambulance service unless you are literally about to die, because it's too expensive. Problem is the joke is true, and if you have insurance it often means nothing as they'll just deny your claim and fight you to the death over even the simplest of medical bills. My mother went into the ER for heart issues a few years ago, and there was a clerk who showed up as the doctors were still with her asking her if she could pay her pre existing medical debt, she had to threaten a lawsuit to get him to leave her room.
@@mikegaskin5542 And where did you get your "fact" from? Please, every other countries did better than US
As older Americans retire from congress, I'm hoping there can be a change.
High cost caused by price gouging, lack of cost transparency, admimistrative skimming(corruption), restrictive medical educational system, and way overpaid doctors and specialists. You failed to mention these issues.
It’s always so hurtful to hear this because the loudest voice are never the people affected. It’s corporations. Everyone knows how to fix but no one won’t. It’s cheaper sometimes to fly to another country to get medical care. 1/3 of gofundme are for medical debit.
Welcome to the one thing in the US system that requires a complete restart with absolutely nothing kept from the current system to fix the problem. We need to eliminate all current insurance plans including the health providers insurances , develop a single payer system based on a single tax which cannot change percentages ever, create tort reform to cap law suits to reasonable compensation levels, eliminate pharmacy benefit managers as middle men for prices, and cap all prices to less than 1/3 of their current price for health care. Welcome to Germany and a much better medical system.
Not going to change since health care industry has spent so much $$$ lobbying government.
Lmao “the one thing” that needs restarting? It’s America nothing works
I am so grateful that i live in utah, where we have IHC, which is a non-profit health care company. And they have really good services.
I really like how this video showed data on the healthcare costs in the US and made a easy-to-follow explanations on reasons why these costs are so high. I was interested in the ethical issues that arise from high medical debt. The problem of widespread medical debt in the United States is a complex issue that demands attention from multiple ethical principles to effectively address it. One key ethical principle relevant to the issue of medical debt is justice. The current healthcare system in the United States often places a heavy burden on individuals, particularly those who are vulnerable or marginalized. As the video states, over 100 million people in the US currently have some form of healthcare debt, which amounts to about 40 percent of adults. Also, the high prices of medical care cause patients to shoulder more of the burden of paying for their bills contribute to this problem. The growth of the insurance industry may also have been a catalyst for price inflation, as the third-party payer system gives hospitals and physicians an incentive to charge more. This creates a situation where individuals are unfairly burdened with the costs of healthcare to pay for large salaries of these organizations, which is not justifiable from a justice standpoint. Another ethical principle relevant to medical debt is beneficence. Beneficence is the principle that requires us to do good and promote the well-being of individuals. In the case of medical debt, individuals who are burdened with healthcare bills are at risk of financial distress, and their health and well-being are put in jeopardy. This is particularly true for those who are uninsured or underinsured. When individuals are unable to pay for healthcare, they may be forced to forgo necessary medical treatment, which results in a higher probability for further health complications down the line. Because of this, it is essential that we address the issue of medical debt to ensure that individuals have access to the care they need to maintain their health and well-being. Non-maleficence is another ethical principle relevant to medical debt. Non-maleficence is the principle that requires us to avoid causing harm to individuals. When individuals are burdened with healthcare bills they cannot afford, they may experience significant stress and anxiety, which can lead to mental and physical health problems. Moreover, when individuals are unable to pay for medical treatment, they may be forced to rely on less effective or unsafe treatments, which can exacerbate their health disparities and cause further problems for them to deal with and lifelong complications.
I stayed the BLOODY HELL away from the U.S. "medical" system for 40+ years. There was never anything it could have done for me, I couldn't have ever afforded it, I can't afford it now, and even if something goes HORRIBLY wrong with my health... it's game over anyhow. I'm steering clear of it right up until I don't wake up anymore, and you know what? THAT'S OK! :) I don't expect anyone to take care of me. I don't have any money anyhow, so, it isn't as though it'd be worth trying to keep me alive, LOL!
It’s crazy because every doctor I know is against the insurance system as it stands. I just think it’s wild that I can’t get an estimate of what something would cost. Like why? How?
I work in the medical field and the reason is because each insurance sets their own contracts/prices. So each insurance company pays a different amount on the same procedure. I don’t understand why they don’t have all pricing on a centralized database that medical staff can give patients the cost depending on their plan. I always tell my staff to let patients know an estimate before we start any procedure. This allows the patient to make an informed decision on whether to proceed. I can’t fix the system, but we can always educate the patient on potential costs that would be incurred. It just breaks my heart when the patient simply can’t afford a procedure even when they have insurance. Insurance companies are making a killing. They charge the patient a monthly fee and patients end up having to pay out of pocket for procedures until their deductible is met. And even if you meet your deductible you may end up still having to pay a portion of the procedure until you meet your out of pocket. It’s predatory and disgusting. I’ve even heard of individuals with preexisting conditions paying $2000/month and the insurance barely covers anything. It’s sad 😢
May we all live in good health
When I was growing up in the 1960s, it cost $3 cash to see the doctor. I didn't know of anyone who had health insurance. Gas and milk cost 10x as much today while a doctor's visit costs 50x as much. I have had 4 surgeries, 3 of which I would be better off to have no gotten due to zealous surgeons. I have put too much trust in doctors.
It is not the doctor billing you. It is the hospital. The finance department.
This is one of the many reasons why Americans have been exploring moving abroad. It’s out of control greed that’s going to take this country down. It’s imploding from the inside out.
That much debt, y’all might as well let healthcare be free at this point.
Infuriating is having a patient demand I treat her surgical abdomen by phone because “they shut down our hospital and I ain’t driving 150 miles or riding in no ambulance 150 miles to the nearest hospital”.
People continue to vote against their own interests. Their are 11 states that rejected free money for Medicaid expansion for the WORKING poor. That money also sustained rural hospitals that have closed by the dozens.
That same party continues to plot to take away all Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, voted 63 times to get rid of the ACA and piecemeal chipped away at the ACA. Leaving us with what? The poorest unhealthiest states with the shortest life expectancies are in the South already…
I just had a regular lab test, and hospital billed 1000 usd to my insurance. Even though it pays 80%, I still owe them a large sum for such a basic test. Hospital is such a total ripoff and I'm surprised media hasn't put more pressure on then
So glad I'm Canadian
An European occupier in native american land
@@PhilospherKing yawn
I am from Germany and you can have surgery there and 3 weeks rehabilitation in another hospital and you don't pay a dime. If Germany would have a similar health care system like the US,, Germany would have a lot of homeless people. The US needs to change this. I love living here but what if I get sick?
It is ironic that top 10 countries with most homeless Germany is rank number 9 while USA is 10 considering that USA has larger population stop talking nonsense
@@reginageorge8802 are you suggesting that Medical Costs and Debt are not a particular problem in the US?
@@MrLukealbanese no Im not fetch duh yuh Oh My Gush
You do indeed "pay a dime" because your taxes are incredibly high so unless you are dirt poor if you even want to see the light of middle class you will be taxed to death. Last i checked in Germany you need to wait 6 months for chemo because the list is so long, here in the USA i can get chemo and surgery literally the same day and my insurance is through my employer and my co pay is 20 dollars.
@@reginageorge8802 ??
Growing up I was fortunate enough to have PPO insurance via my dad, whom is a doctor. I used to think that I should be able to walk in, take care of my business (incl. Medication refills), and then GTFO and everything should be covered, considering how expensive the insurance plan is... PLEASEEEE 😑 it was always a headache and I would always get hit with random bills, some "Prior Authorization" bs, and my health insurance randomly denying to cover some of my visits?? My heart goes out to those who have to deal with these fuddy-duddy, GREEDY health insurance companies on a daily basis, because just navigating to be get someone on the phone was already making my blood boil!! I swear they make this difficult on purpose!
Hospitals have resorted to creative billing to preserve their income. Twenty years ago, my late mother, in her 90s, was admitted to a local hospital, diagnosed with pneumonia, and placed in a "hospice room", to be given only medication to keep her comfortable. She died eight hours later. The hospital alone billed Medicare over $6,000, and then a list of other healthcare personnel submitted their bills. When I inquired as to how these bills could be challenged, I was told that my only recourse was to charge each agent or provider with malpractice. Of course Medicare paid far less than what was billed, but it occurred to me that an uninsured patient would be charged the full amount.
Quick answer: Private Insurance/ Corrupt Corporations
A small percentage could be fix is right to repair on medical equipment.
Simple diabetic medication metformin costs 75 cents for 30 tablets that is a whole month supply, one tablet a day.
In USA after insurance pays out 75 dollar to company, you have to pay 14 dollars at counter.
89$ for 30 tablets.
For 140 tablets of thyroid medication in India you pay, 1 dollar for the whole 3 month supply.
In USA my friend pays for 30 tablets after insurance coverage (insurance pays 160), then he pays 78$ for a month supply.
Many of our friends and family have moved back home as India is third biggest economy in world now but still the generic drug are way cheaper and health facilities are starting to use that to increase medical tourism.
I personally know 15 families with elderly parents or aging themselves move back make sense.
To loose less money to medical exploutive companies and having better health in general.
Plus you can directly see your doctor even at 9 in night.
Doctors in India do that.
True. Good to say that doctors that run the medical system in the US are mainly Indians born.
With most plans, even after the deductible is satisfied, you can see on the "Summary of Benefits" that there will still be a 20/30/40% coinsurance that the patient is responsible for.
For example: child birth, you're looking at paying upwards to $7,000-9,000 out of pocket after your deductible and insurance 80/70/60% coverage.
- Licensed Health & Life Broker
Medical debt is not a problem. Medical debt is a design.
This is an amazing video and i enjoyed every bit of it. And i'm also excited to share my investment experience so far this year. I believe it will help a lot of people here who are confused on how to startup theirs and be productive for the year....
From my own point of view, you need to invest smartly if you need the good things of life. so far, i've made over $355k in raw profits from just q4 of the market from my diversified portfolio strategy and i believe anyone can do it if you have the right strategy. Mutual funds takes long time, but investing smartly is the key for short term. Most of us tends to pay more attention to the shiniest position in the market to the cost of proper diversification.
@@hoshifuyo4494 Wow!!!,
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My portfolio is very much diversified, so it's not like i have a particular fund i invest in, plus i don't do that by myself. I follow the trades of WINONA ALETHEA LIVINGSTON. She is a popular broker you might have heard of. I can correctly say she's worth her salt as a financial adviser, as her diversification skills are top notch. I
say so because i see that in her results, as my portfolio grows by averages of 10 to 15% on a monthly basis. Unlike i can say for my IRA which has just been trudging along. My portfolio just mirrors what she trades and not just on some particular industries of my choosing.
@@hoshifuyo4494 What do you actually mean by following trades?, do you mean copying her trades, as it is done in etoro? Are you giving her your money or the money says in your account? Please explain more in detail for better clarification ...
Yeah exactly,
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So medical care is a huge topic so there isn't any single things that is going to "fix" the issue. However, I do think there are some things that can help. 1. I think that adopting a single payer system for routine and preventative care as well as generic medications would go a long way to reducing overall costs while still allowing the US to fund top tier care. Insurance would still be needed to cover things like surgery and non-generic medications. 2. For insurance we should stop applying it through our place of employment. The idea that a consumer can make better choices by having skin in the game only works in scenarios where they are actually the ones choosing. I can choose my doctor to an extent but I don't choose my insurance plan. My employer does. Even if I wanted to correct things through the market I can't because what hospitals I go to and which doctors I see is chosen by my Company's HR department and not by what is actually best for me.
I find it funny many people consider American Health care the best.
I tend to ask them what good is the healthcare if you can't afford it?
I usually don't get an answer beyond the Ole well.
Because America is a capitalistic country unlike Europe that takes care of its own people America does not America is self-resolved and don't take care of their own people..
Ban non-compete agreements (in healthcare and everywhere!) Non-compete agreements lead to higher healthcare costs
Insurance carriers are allowed (by regulation) to keep a percentage of the medical fee. The higher the fee, the more money the insurance company makes.
We have no idea what medical treatment costs, so can't shop for the best value. There is no competition.
Can you see the problem?
Brings to mind earmarks gave hospitals all over the US, funds for the most expensive cutting edge diagnostic equipment. But the corrupt health care system charges patients as if they are consumers and bills them as if the hospital paid for that equipment.
I've given up on western medicine for care for my chronic illnesses. In the past month, I've spent over $5k out of pocket on alternative health care.
I've been able to eliminate many symptoms that MDs never had answers for.
Best Country in the world, i guess!
Well the fact that america has the highest per Capita of obesity of 195 countries
Does not help🙃🙄😂
Americans are sick.
75% of Americans are overweight.
44% are clinically obese.
The average size of female american is now is 170 pounds and a size 16 !
That's the size of the average male in 1970!
to be honest the US already got some sort of the same system as we have in the Netherlands. the problem is their company owns their health insurance thats not a thing in the netherlands. we still have to pay something out of our own pocket max 385 euros. But we all pay for our own health insurance average from 130 till 150 euros depends on the Insurance company and what you want to have insured. but the Basic health care that everyone have to have and is all the same across the board. we dont pay 450 on average per month for our health insurance. we just go to the hospital get help and go back home. we get a bill in the mail for what we have to pay from our 385 euros own risc and thats it. since america already got a copay system as well they could do something like this also. you will get better care and more people can afford to go to the hospital. sure we hate our system over here because its still to expensive. but i think this will america help. and for people who live below the poverty line in the Netherlands get help from the government to pay for their health insurance. i live under that line as wel. i get more back from the government then what my health insurance cost. so my health care is basically free. anyway i think this can help americans for sure. you dont have to get "Free" healthcare like the NHS. but let your citizens still pay something to compensate the costs. so medicines can get cheaper and more people can be helped. But ofc we all know that america doesnt want to do this because its a business and not a country. they rather take the lobbyist money then helping their people. but still this could be a solution.
don't forget that prices are greatly affected by the whole escalating economy and many companies sold shares so now they have to pay shareholders for a very long time. and also the lack of proper regulations.
We are also 20-30 % fatter. Related? 🤷♀️
People are unhealthy, fat, and addicted.
blame greedy insurance companies
How am I 50% in and they have not even mentioned that the issue is that American Healthcare is a FOR PROFIT SYSTEM. Healthcare is like public transportation. It should not be expected to profit.
Or pay its CEO hundreds of millions in bonuses every year.
Great documentary, thank you.
Thank goodness for my VA health care. Back in the day, I sure didn't want to risk my life in an unpopular and unjust war in Vietnam so I joined the Air Force (4 years instead of 2 years if drafted) instead of taking my chance with the draft so I'd be relatively safe in the war zone. Along with the G.I. bill which helped me get a college degree and a home loan guarantee, I now have the VA to provide excellent health care. Generally our health care system in the U.S. is a nightmare compared to other western democracies and even many third world countries. The term 'American excellence' is laughable.
Ceo wants more money
The hospital and insurance companies should be countable for their actions for they should not be making million and billions of dollars after expense they need to return money back to customers
The medical industry is the ONLY industry that never advertises prices!!
I am a 56 year old, unskilled and have two disabilities ( without Federal help I.e. another story in itself). I have a poverty pension and will not go back to work in order that I may receive Medicaid. I was let go from last job where the deductible was 10% with their private insurance policy. I just had my necessary surgery that has to be done every three years which out of pocket was $155,000. I would have had to pay over $15,000 on their plan while earning a minimum wage salary. And my medications cost about $6,000 monthly. That doesn’t even count other usual costs.
I work in the healthcare industry and I think it both the consumer the healthcare industry causing this. I find so much ignorance with patient not taking care of themselves or not want to help themselves and wonder why they are so sick and need so much care. Also that you need all the medical biller, lawyer, hr, authorization department, quality assurance, and etc has cause it to balloon.
The sickest 5% account for nearly 50% of all healthcare spending in the US... there lies the problem.
We're spending too much money on Grandma?
I have a life long medical condition that I need to see a doctor for every 6 months and bloodwork each time. Every time my insurance changes or I move or need a new doctor I have no idea how much my blood work will be at the cheapest it’s been 80 at the most expensive it’s been 780z
Healthcare insurance companies and Doctors in US are the culprit that making huge profits . People said Singapore has a better system in healthcare.
As long as the status quo exists, nothing will change. Many other countries have better, higher quality healthcare than here in the US. Capitalists broke the system and want to make sure to keep it broken. I want universal healthcare as much as the next person. I much rather live in a country that takes care of a person's needs and gives them the best quality of life as possible.