UK v US Healthcare: My Experience | She's Diabetic
Вставка
- Опубліковано 3 чер 2023
- My experience as a person with a chronic condition who moved from the UK to the US ◉ Subscribe: goo.gl/ZfjYfu
Just under a year ago I moved from the UK to the US. Having spent all of my adult life thus far in the UK, whose' healthcare system is funded by the NHS (Universal Nationalized Healthcare). As a result, I had no interaction with the US healthcare system or even paying for my healthcare...until now. Living with Type 1 Diabetes is hard enough, the American Healthcare system has taken this difficulty to another level.
DISCLAIMER: This is just my experience. My experience is the only one I feel comfortable speaking from (always on this channel), so please remember that I'm not speaking for everyone in this video and I fully recognize people have many different and contrasting opinions to mine.
◉ Facebook: / shesdiabetic
◉ Instagram: ShesDiabetic
◉ Share this video: • UK v US Healthcare: My...
10% National Insurance which contributes to the NHS 22% income tax, comes from your salary in the UK.
Thank you for this correction!! I’m pinning your comment to the top so everyone sees this!
it's around 6% on fulltime closer to minimum wage and around 4% on higher wages. I can't remember the exact figures but on a monthly basis, it's 12.5% on the first ￡600ish you earn and 2% on everything above that.
Contrary to popular belief, National Insurance (NI), is NOT for the NHS. NI in principle is for the state pension and state benefits. OTOH the NHS is paid for out of general taxation. In practice NI and TAX all go into a single pot and your benefits are calculated based on the amount of NI you have paid and how often. (It's a bit more complicated than that, but that's the basics.)
@Haiwen it’s not quite as simple as that.
Class 1 NI (which most people pay) is 12% for every pound between £242 and £967 per week; that is to say that for the first £242 per week (£12,584 per year or £1,048 per calendar month) is free from National Insurance. Every pound over £967 a week (£50,284 per annum / £4,190 per calendar month) the rate drops to 2%.
Income tax is banded. You have a Personal Allowance of £12,570 per annum which is tax free. The Basic Rate kicks in at £12,571 per year and is 20%. Earnings between £50,271 and £125,140 is at 40%. Each pound over £125,140 per annum is at 45%.
So, a person earning £15,000 per year would pay 20% Income Tax on £2,430 per year, so £486 per year of income tax, and 12% NI on the £2,416 / year = £290 per year. Therefore, the effective tax rate for a person on £15,000 per year would pay is 5.17% or £776 per year (and that’s excluding the savings on tax deductible benefits like pension contributions etc.).
A person earning £65,000 per year would pay income tax on £52,429 per year (salary - personal allowance), high rate income tax on £2,159 per year and base rate tax on the remaining £50,270. So, that’s 20% on £50,270, and 40% on £2,159 = £10,054 base rate tax, and £864 higher rate tax. Their NI would be 12% on £37,700 (which is £4,524 per year) and 2% on the £14,716 per annum (equal to £294 of NI) they earn over the standard NI rate.
So, that’s £15,736 of deductions per annum from a £65k salary, which is 24% effective tax rate (again, pension contributions and some other employee benefits are tax deductible).
I’ve chosen those salary figures as a high and low - the lesser salary would put a person in the bottom 10% of UK earners, £65k would put a person in the top 10%.
So the real-world tax rate in the UK including National Insurance for most people in the 10-90 percentile groups would be between 5%-25%, not the 32% suggested by your comment.
It's 4 to 6% and includes your pension and all social care
As someone that grew up in the UK it wasn't until probably my early teens that I realised that not all countries had universal healthcare systems and it totally blew my mind. The fact that in some highly develop countries if you do not have money for healthcare you just have to suffer just seem so alien to me. The NHS is not perfect by any means but it is something the nation can be proud of.
It's not "some" highly developed countries that do not have universal healthcare. It really is just one.
@@neilbowen6930 Really not true. Most of Europe provides universal healthcare, they just don´t use the NHS model (for the record, I am not making a judgement on what is ´best´)
@@liamhegarty3220 I think Canada also have universal healthcare
@@liamhegarty3220 What I posted was completely true, I think that you misread it. Every country in Europe has universal healthcare. I never said any of them use the NHS model, because they don't.
You would think the Brits would do anything to cherish their much-loved NHS but no, they keep voting for conservative governments that continuously effectively defund the NHS, then they voted for Brexit which further cut off immigrant workers on whom the NHS crucially depend. The NHS is now no longer fit for service, with millions of people on 6 year long waiting list, striking doctors nurses and other staff. For all that's wrong with the American system you still have a functioning service.
I am really glad I do not live in the USA.
10 years ago I had a heart attack.
My wife telephoned my doctor's surgery to seek advice (we didn't know it was a heart attack at that time). They called an ambulance. It arrived within 10 minutes. In hospital I immediately had blood taken from me for tests, was found to have had a heart attack and was then put on a ward. I had an ultrasound scan on my heart, then had a procedure where they put dye in your veins, find the blockage and insert a stent. This they did to my (I think) left anterior decending heart vein/artery.
I still get an annual check up.
Cost to me, including ambulance. Nil, apart from what I already pay and have paid via general taxation and national insurance,
Cannot thank Mr Nye Bevan enough.
I’m so sorry you went through that, but I’m also super glad that you’re through it and were treated so well and promptly. My experience of the NHS has been very much the same. Prompt, caring, and fast acting - especially when things are urgent.
Yep....same here in NZ.... we have a more or less identical system to the NHS... all paid from taxation, which means no matter if you are rich or poor, you get good treatment.
Well, I first point to not have a heart attack. It's called a yearly physical with your doctor. Heart attack don't just come out nowhere. Those that don't watch what they eat (poor diets) and the lack of good exercising. Will get them first.
As a american doctor told me a long time ago. Don't smoke or drink alcohol and watch what eat and exercise. Will keep cancer and heart problems away. I still did yearly exams with my doctor over the last 30 years and most of the time. He would tell me. All the test are coming back fine. Pointing to me being in perfect health.
I guess in america We doing yearly exams or something they don't do in europe or heart problems would showing up in your yearly exams.
I also had chest pains at one time. But because I hit the gym five or six times a week. I couldn't understand why I was having these chest pain as I was going to sleep at night. I finally gave in and when to the hospital.
The first as I walk in the door. I told them I was having chest pain. Immediately within minutes they did a ekg, head and heart scan. Within 15 minutes. A doctor had the result from all the test.
He told me everything look fine and I ask him. If maybe I pulled a chest muscle at the gym. He didn't believe I had done that.
He did said my blood pressure was high. I told him that was from pills for my allergies and they can raise my blood pressure.
I was starting to get dress to go home. He then said I would like you to stay overnight and already had a private room for me at the hospital and scheduled a nuclear scan on my heart the next morning. He talked me into staying. He also made the comment on how great shape my body was in from working out at the gym.
They gave me different tests at different point in the nights. The nurses also made comments on great of shape my body was in. The next day they did the nuclear scan on my heart. Four hours after the scan. The doctor came in and told me that I had a bad case of acid reflux and the pain in my chest was from the acid working it's way back into my chest.
From all the test they did and the hospitals stay. Cost me zero!. As I'm a military vet. Many hundred of millions of americans. Get the care at the VA health care system. It's the largest health care system in america. I also got a free four year education and a home loan from the government to purchase a home. My current home has triple in value from the time I got it in 2016.
@@orangeguy3314 l have never smoked. I am 5'10" and weigh 11 and a half stone. I rarely eat fast food. My diet is generally pretty good. I eat lots of fresh vegetables (although I will confess to not eating a lot of fruit - apart from bananas. I eat lots of those!) and most of my meals are home prepared. I am not a gym goer, but I am physically active. My blood pressure is fine. If anything it is sometimes on the low side. On the day I left hospital there was some comment about how low it was. The top reading (is that the systolic one?) was below 100. The other reading was below 70.
Most people who know me really do think this heart attack came out of nowhere. I had always enjoyed good health and fitness.
I'm pretty sure even an annual check up by a doctor would not have stopped this happening. The only thing that could have done that would have been to have had regular procedures where they squirt dye into your blood vessels to detect narrowing arteries. Is that an angiogram? Anyway, that is not something that would be done in any normal annual check up.
I consider myself a little unlucky to have had the heart attack. I do not fit the profile of a stereotypical heart attack victim. However, having had the heart attack I feel very, very lucky at the outcome so far. And I feel very lucky to have had the first class treatment I got from the NHS which didn't involve me worrying about how it was all going to be paid for.
And that was the point of my post. The NHS is often presented as being unable to provide a good service. When I really needed it I found that view to be wrong. The service was excellent and available to every British citizen, not just those who have done military service.
@@TalesByTheRiverBank I bet if you and I had a race around a city block. Before 45 seconds into the race you would give up and quit. I get people telling they in great shape. Then I make a bet with them and then we start the race and as always they give up.
I often get the comment from people... Oh, you workout. I even get this from guys that are bodybuilders at my gyms or when say I hope I'm your age in the shape as you are and yes I have a six pack at my stomach waist.
If you want to see the shape the NHS is in.
Look at the DW Documentary :Poverty in Britain and see what a british doctors thinks of the NHS system.
As a type one diabetic here on the UK I do not have to pay for my prescriptions and therefore get my insulin pens and needles etc free of any charges each month.. something I'm incredibly grateful for.
and how is your tax -- or are you just broke and subsidized
@@derekhough-jm9gc certain types of illness that need drugs that are life saving, e.g diabetes, Addison's, thyroid it is a weird list are exempt from paying prescription on all their medications. Your pay is not taken into account. It is the same for everyone. We all get taxed the same unless on higher income.
@@sarahhoops9696 Enjoy paying for the imm ig rants health care -- hee hee. US is much cheaper, faster and overall better
You DO pay for them; you just pay for them in a different way. 10% National Insurance which contributes to the NHS 22% income tax, comes from your salary in the UK.
@@derekhough-jm9gc hows your education system lol
I had food poisoning once while on holidays in Florida, I was at the hospital reception feeling absolutely terrible puking into a bucket, hardly aware of what was going on around me as I was at the end of my energy at 5AM after spending all night... you don't want to know. It was shocking to me that all they cared about was my credit card and wouldn't treat me until finding out I had the means to pay, it took them what felt like an eternity, I was completely abandoned while they went away call my bank etc. Once they treated me, as a nice gesture to me, instead of doing what would be the best treatment, they chose to do the cheapest. This was my very first experience of US health care, such a shock, makes you lose a little faith in humanity.
English woman here. My family had a villa in Florida and on my late father’s last visit, he was unwell. We went to the local hospital and it was only something minor, but it cost $4,500 and about three months after we returned home he got another bill for a further $450.
Whilst another family member and I sat in the waiting room, we noticed that whereas the booking-in desk was minuscule, there was a huge counter which had 12 cash registers running off into the distance. Unbelievable.
For someone who has always lived under the care of the NHS (and I’m a Type I Diabetic like this young woman), I was horrified by the American system.
Surely it goes against the hippocratic oath to not treat those in need when they need it.
@@sailingayoyoprobably why they don’t have doctors or nurses as the first point of contact. Loopholes unfortunately :(
@@Efusco97 very interesting point
Once had an insurance snafu, U.S. citizen. City employed with insurance, but, twice something went wrong. Vial of levemir, $200.
Nope. Fuck that. I waited till DKA hit, got a week "vacation" (read: hospital stay) and let things unfold from there.
My sister in law is a nurse in Florida and her nursing colleague had cancer. Her employer (a hospital !!!) eventually fired her because she was taking too much time off when she had to have chemo. She lost her health coverage and couldn't afford to pay for the drugs, consequently she died. It genuinely is a sick country that can do that to a fellow human being.
That’s awful 🙁
@@emme2141 yes, I know we have our problems on this side of the world but that's desperate way to treat people. There are many things I love about the US but the way they treat their own people can be inhumane.
It's another example of materialism overriding humanity in the US.
My goodness, the US is really really sick
Im sure the insurance talked to the hospital to make her get fired and not to pay for those so expensive drugs.
@@manuelfg2902 It's great if you have money, otherwise tough luck.
_"If i'm paying more than people that are less fortunate financially then i'm really ok with that"_
Hear, Hear!
I'm not a wealthy man. I don't know if i even qualify as " middle class" but i'm absolutely happy to be paying into a system that looks out not only for me when i need it but for other people when they need it.
It's shocking to me how strongly so many folks advocate for looking out for number one.
Sorry you're having to go through this, Andrea. We can see your frustration with that system. Thanks for giving an honest outsider's perspective of moving from a universal healthcare system to a for profit healthcare system.
Thank you for the supportive and like-minded comment here! I also totally agree with everything you’ve said. I’m a ok - getting through it - and glad to provide a perspective at least, because I want at least a tiny bit of good to come out of this that I can share because overall it’s been kind of demoralizing. 💙
@@ShesDiabetic
Glad you're getting through it. I think this kind of perspective is very important especially for Americans who have never known any different system.
You take your trials and you turn them into a platform for advocacy. You're strong!
Thank you🙂
I'm nearly 70 and I've lived in the UK all my life. Maybe I move in the wrong circles, but I've never heard anyone saying that they resent paying taxes to support an NHS that looks after the less fortunate. By far the vast majority of Brits take it as read that it is the duty of the state to look out for those who have health issues and we simply cannot understand how it could be otherwise. As we see it, our NHS works like any other insurance system: we all contribute, even though some of us will rarely or never use it. The difference is that we're not lining the pockets of corporate shareholders along the way.
If that's your attitude, then great. Go live in one of those systems. Or better yet I suggest you put that money in private charities like the Red Cross, or donate to hospitals, instead of volunteering everyone else! It'll be money better spent too. IF the government were in charge of the Sahara Desert it would soon run out of sand.
@@davidjones332 I understand you grew up with the NHS but that's just not the way we do things over here. Sure we help each other through private charities but it's not the "duty" of one group to look after another through government force. The attitude here is very simple. Let me keep my tax money so I can afford my own care. I can use the savings to contribute toward private charities to care for the poor and STILL have money left over. When you've lived in a socialist-type system all those years I understand our ways are strange, but it's the way we do things. And as for the corporations, where do you think drugs come from? How was the COVID vax developed? All those medical innovations you depend on us for? I'm tired of people demonizing the inescapable fact that good things cost money, you do get what you pay for. Medicine, while a vital service, is not exempt from the market forces of economics. If you want to detach yourself from American corporatism, fine. But next time you get an illness or pandemic, develop the drugs and vaccines yourself. We Americans already give much more to the medical world than we get back. Not to mention that if not for us you'd have no COVID drugs and would all be speaking German now.
YOU'RE WELCOME 🇺🇸
Brilliant video and a topic that really needs coverage. In my view, the cost of providing medicines to those of us with T1D in the UK pales in comparison to what we give back to society throughout our working lives. The sheer cost of insulin in the US and apparent short sightedness on the issue from lawmakers is truly scary!
Best of luck with it all, Angela. Keep us updated :)
I can't imagine living in a country where life or death medication isn't free to the people who need it. Life must be so hard for poor people in the US, I know that when I was diagnosed as a T1D I would never have been able to afford the medication to simply live.
I couldn't believe that people lost their homes because they got sick in America. That never happens in Canada.
Sadly a good number of T1d's die in the US because they can't afford their insulin.
Most poor Americans are eligible for medical coverage under the Medicaid system in the US. Especially children. About 20% of the population is covered under Medicaid. There are gaps unfortunately especially for adults without children.
@@zorander6this is unfortunately very likely. For some reason the US government through the FDA has been protecting the pharmaceutical industry’s patents on insulin extending them long past what they were supposed to be. This is slowly changing but a lot of people are still at risk.
@ggjr61 On January 23 , 1923, Banting Collip and Best were awarded U.S. patents on insulin, and the method used to make it. They all sold these patents to the University of Toronto for $1 each. Banting famously said, "Insulin doesn't belong to me, it belongs to the world." He wanted everyone in the world to have access to it. (from Wikipedia)
How did this mess happen!
Yeah, so I've done the reverse -- moved to the UK about seven years ago after being in the States for about 35 years. I have a story that I feel like illustrates the problems with the NHS and then also why it all fades away. Around COVID, the NHS got demonstrably worse, and for the first time ever, it's actually unpopular. Depending on the area, there are long waits for ambulances and inessential care (and your definition of what is inessential care may vary), and sometimes at the doctor's, you can feel like you're at the DMV or something. My story is that in 2021, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after some aches and pains wouldn't go away. I was told that that I was being referred to a specialist, but the wait would take some time, they wouldn't even guess how long. It was like six months I think in the end, and my symptoms went crazy, with a lot of utterly miserable sleepless nights. I would occasionally get a steroid injection to make things better and otherwise stayed on painkillers. After that six months, I finally got my medication (after something of an ordeal) and my pain got manageable but it didn't go. I spent another year going back and forth to the doctor, trying different supplements to the medication. Nothing worked and follow ups were awful. The helpline they gave me was open 10:30 am to 2 pm, Monday through Wednesday and when I called, I nearly always got a busy signal so I had to call back sometimes dozens of times to get through (I once called over 100 times). My GP never followed up on the medication changes I was prescribed by specialists unless I specifically called them, even though they were notified by the specialists. I kept finding myself on the phone with people who were varying degrees of helpful when I shouldn't have had to advocate for myself. Finally, a few weeks ago, I got put on a biologic medication, where I inject a live cell into my bloodstream, twice a month. It's early, but it seems to be helping a lot and I'm optimistic.
Okay, so, the whole thing was a bit of a nightmare. It took ages, I skipped a lot of stuff where I was getting contradictory advice, wasn't able to easily follow up, etc., etc. The bottom line is this: I am receiving top-of-the-line drugs for my chronic medical condition and getting monthly blood tests to make sure it's all working properly. I waited longer than I would like, but I have never at any point been strained financially and I was always able to get access to relatively cheap painkillers. Fees for any given medication are £9.35 per prescription, but that's any prescription whatsoever, and when that started to add up, I switched to paying the government £10.80 per month, which covers all medications for a year, and I only pay that monthly fee for 10 months of of the year. Total cost of all my medications annually is £108, which is $130 as of this writing. But, and this is key, for the biologic drug I was prescribed, which is delivered directly to my house, and requires disposable needles, refrigeration and a medical waste bin which has to be collected a couple of times a year, I pay...nothing. That's all covered, the delivery, the medical waste disposal, everything, and all of it can be ordered through an app. The cost of that same medication in the US? I just googled and I'm seeing costs ranging from $769 (generic) - $4,000 (name brand) *per injection*, before insurance and before delivery, disposal, etc.
So yeah, I pay more in my taxes and yeah, I had to wait, but the thing is, as you outlined, it's a bit misleading to complain about that stuff. Every inconvenience, from the red tape to the waits to the contradictory information, are all things I've encountered in the States. Some of it may be worse here, but in all this time, I've never had to fill out an insurance form, never gotten a surprise bill and as I say, none of my worries are financial. And this is with the NHS by all accounts in dire straits. Put the two systems side by side, and it's no contest, unless you're rich to the point where money is no object.
I'm a Brit -- the NHS is complete sheet -- Brits just don't know it
This is something I am extremely passionate about as an American. It hits home so much. Let’s not forget that our insurance is generally always tied to our jobs. If you’re out of work due to being sick, you will have to pay insane amounts just to keep that insurance. But, you have no money coming in? How do you pay for that? Navigating your particular insurance is always insane. Trying to figure out which docs, hospitals, and even meds they cover feels like a full time job. It’s beyond overwhelming. For those not familiar with US healthcare, please understand that not all meds will be covered by your insurance. So your doc might prescribe something and you go to the pharmacy to pick it up, might be $565 (literally this happened to me last week). I have to say I can’t afford that. Call the doc. Wait for them to subscribe something else. Wait on that med to get filled - then see if I can afford it. Will my insurance pay a portion of that one or not? Also, this process might take a couple of days…..and you’re still sick waiting on that med to help you. 🤦🏼♀️ I also went through a horrible car wreck where an uninsured motorist hit me. I was unconscious and taken to the nearest hospital. Guess what? That hospital was not one that my insurance would cover. (Remember I was unconscious so the ambulance just took me to the closest hospital.) I am still fighting to get this paid. If I can’t get the insurance to pay, I’m looking at over $100k. Honestly, it’s more than I make in two years of my salary. And that’s just the hospital bill. There are separate bills for every doc you see, every blood drawn, every X-ray or other test ran…..again, beyond overwhelming. The system here in the US is beyond broken. Beyond. I welcome any advice to navigate it.
That's absolutely insane 😓
I have no words, it's unbelievable 😳 . In Australia we get tv doctor shows from America , that you see them happily treating everyone, like no problem , money doesn't come into it, how fake they are.
So sorry you have to deal with this .
I am from/live in the uk but I thought that the afordable care act was meant to help people who were out of work and needed medication ?
@@yorktaekwondoman one thing about the act is that it bases what you pay on your previous 3 months of pay. So if you currently don’t have anything coming in, it can still be too much. Also, if you have any preexisting conditions, you will be charged more. When I checked it for me, I was quoted a price of $385 per month. And of course if we don’t get it, we have to pay a fine on our taxes. I have friends who pay the fine because it’s less than what their quote was. Thankfully, I did find work so I’m okay. Just trying to navigate the old bills now. And keep in mind, that premium doesn’t cover any meds. It’s just for doctors and hospitals. Prescription insurance is separate. It’s such a mess.
Sounds horrendous
So glad I moved back to the UK I find it more humanitarian over here
Thanks Andrea ,great to know what we are missing in the U.K, most people don’t really understand, they have watched too many US programs where if any hospitalisation occurs it’s a breeze and no one asks for money
No money, that's a good one.
The Truth is the first thing they want to see is your insurance card, then you have to sign paperwork to say you are responsible to pay, that way should the Insurance deny the claim they have all your info, and yes they do follow up, often the insurance will pay 70%-80% leaving you to pay the other 20-30%, that's after you have met your yearly deductible which will be thousands, every plan is different.
Hi Andrea. Greetings from Tel Aviv and our socialized healthcare system. Your video reinforced my worst fears: I cannot afford to move back to the U.S. I was diagnosed in the 1970s in Detroit, and as a kid remember buying a vial of insulin for $5.95.
Now I'm self-employed, and upon exploring health insurance options in Florida, I discovered that a decent plan would cost my family of three $5,000/month, and that's before out-of-pocket for meds, doctors' visits, bloodwork, etc. In Israel, I pay the equivalent of $75 a month for the family, and have a maximum out-of-pocket of $100/month for everything. Except for insulin, all CGM and pump equipment is 100% free (not reimbursed like in America, where you have to go through hell and back to get your money). I can get any bloodwork I want/need for free, and the co-pay for a visit to my endo is $3. I recently had EMG/NCT testing and that cost me a whopping $10 for the pre-approval form and $8 for parking at the hospital where the testing was done.
Without some sort of employer plan, it seems impossible over there. Even with a plan, dealing with the bureaucracy that you and others describe sounds painful! So for the meanwhile, we're staying over here in this crazy part of the world, enjoying our Mediterranean diet and weather.
Cheers and good health to all!!
How many hospitals you bombed in Gaza? Shut up and spare us your silence. Natenyahu is a war criminal
I just shared this with a GP in the UK. We’re friends from BookTube (we both have channels) and I visited her this summer but we often compare/contrast her experience as a GP and my experience as a patient in the US. I felt this was such a powerful, emotion filled comparison. I have the platinum plan of the platinum plan. I would have to sacrifice A LOT if we moved to a universal healthcare system but I would because it’s the right and ethical thing to do! 100% agree with your views on this 😭
OH wow - a BookTube! I've never heard of this - I LOVE IT!! Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing it with your friend too! That means a lot!!!
Why would you have to sacrifice anything
@@SamanthaSmith-tv1jl MANY reasons. Are you in the US?
@@RovingReader no uk
@@SamanthaSmith-tv1jl So she's 100% correct that in the US, health care is very class based and you get it from your job. I'm a teacher at a public school (free to attend/supported by the government) so I have GOOD healthcare. Weekly massages are covered by my health insurance which is super rare for others in the US and I pay a lot less money for things that others cannot afford with their insurance such as Ozempic (which I was on previously). The disparity is sad so that's why I'd be willing to sacrifice to take care of others. I think The Viral Underclass by Steven W. Thrasher is a really good book discussing inequalities in health care within the US.
In addition, other things are done much faster here: MRI or other scan results in hours, being able to easily get appointments, emailing your doctor, etc. I know a lot of times it's hard to get an appointment with your GP and you could be on a very lengthy waiting list to see a specialist or get a procedure done. In addition, I get to select a doctor that matches my philosophy on medicine. I think our doctors aren't as overwhelmed and aren't asked to do as much but I'm not 100% sure on that.
What I wish would happen is that we can learn from other countries that are doing universal medicine, see what's working, learn from what's not, and make our own universal healthcare system. I feel very strongly that when we all are taken care of, everyone does better!
I have been diabetic for about 28 years and healthcare is horrible. Once I didnt have money to buy insulin and went to the hospital so they can somehow give me some as an emergency. The doctor literally said " I am sorry we can not give you insulin because it costs 350 dollars " So unfair and lots of diabetic people have died here due to not having money for insulin. I am planning to move to a different country for many reasons but healthcare being one of the main ones.
That is a terrible story
In the UK type 1 diabetics who are insulin dependent get free prescriptions.
I think it requires an exemption certificate that lasts 5 years and then has to be renewed.
I have high blood pressure and have 2 tablets, for the cost of one prescription (about £10) I get 3 boxes of each ie 90 days
Here in Latvia you pay 71 cent for a prescription. Insulin is for free. To visit a doctor for checkup and prescriptions - maybe 10 euros. Its crazy that you have such prices.
@MsKykca oh wow.! I seriously can not believe this .! All this is so crazy and messed up .! We literally need insulin to survive, and they take advantage of that charging us so much.!! Didnt know insulin was so cheap in other places .!!
@@notch7139 It's actually all diabetics, my dad is type 2 diabetic and has never been prescribed insulin but does take regular prescription medication to help control his diabetes, plus has blood sugar measuring equipment. He's had free prescriptions since being diagnosed (now over 60 so it's free anyway).
I’m in the U.K. and am happy to pay taxes to have the NHS. I’m fortunate and been in good health all my life so have hardly needed the NHS. But it’s there for when I need it. I’ve got plenty of friends and family who have needed the NHS big time, and the NHS has been wonderful to them and not cost them a penny. Healthcare free at the point of need is how it should be and I’m more than happy to pay my taxes for it.
Well it beats me why a type one diabetic would emigrate to the US as all? To be honest, it beats why you would emigrate to the US at all, they are bunch of weirdo gun toting nut jobs and then to do it as a diabetic, you would better off moving to Nigeria, at least there life would be a lot cheaper.
agreed. i was always happy and proud to contribute to a system that support everyone. how can anyone think that poor people having to suffer without medical care is a good system. just to save the taxpayers a few pounds per year. nonsense
Absolutely! I've seen some people on videos in the US talking about universal healthcare and their attitude is "why should i pay for someone else who doesn't work etc..."
So selfish. You never know what's round the corner and knowing you're going to be treated no matter what your financial situation is, is what makes the NHS so cherished.
Do people wait a lot to see the doctor like in Canada? Please let me know
@ghassanjneinaty4421 depends on what the issue is. If its an emergency, you get seen right away. If its serious but not an emergency, then you'll get tended to right away most of the time. Now, if it's something minor that can wait, then you might need to just stress that it can't wait and that way, you end up being seen faster.
About ten years ago, I told my sister how much my diabetes supplies cost. She was appalled. “That’s highway robbery!” She wasn’t wrong.
Yep! Highway Robbery indeed! And who one earth is setting these prices? I have no idea!
Yep, Highway Robbery and the US government refuses to help control costs for T1D's; however, they do cover the medical costs for drug addicts!
@@ShesDiabeticI do, the pharmaceutical companies in the United States are allowed to charge whatever the heck they want for your insulin and other prescriptions. There is no regulation to keep the prices affordable. Therefore, they can even charge $1,000 or more and get away with it. Whereas the same prescription drugs in your home country would not cost more than £25 because your federal government requires pharmaceutical companies to put a low price cap on medications. It absolutely is highway robbery and very unethical system here, but I'm stuck with it because I was born and raised here and don't have enough money or qualifications to leave. If I could, I would go to the UK because I obviously speak the language and I love the culture and history. Also because my husband has a significant amount of English ancestry.
@@megangreene3955this is a point often missed. Because the NHS is a huge force it has the ability to demand reasonable prices from big pharma.
That's what I thought when my 'adopted mother' in Michigan told me about the cost of her and her husband's medications, and they're pensionable age! (Makes me thankful I live in the UK)
_" If I have the funds to pay for care then i'm allowed to be healthy"_
You said it, girl. It's not ok. Healthcare should not be driven by capitalism. Healthcare is the right of the citizen, not the privilege of those who can afford it.
EXACTLY!! And don’t we as a human want others to be healthy so we can all work together and make this world a better place and continue to thrive and grow? Money is to blame I guess, but I do wonder how these people sleep at night…
@@ShesDiabetic
I certainly think that's what we should want as human beings. I'm no saint but helping each other seems to be the most basic and important quality that makes humans human.
That is a bit naive. The NHS is paid for by capitalism which is money comes from tax
health care innovation depends on the capitalistic USA to develop -- NHS does nothing
Yeah you're right. Let's get rid of all the profit motives in health care. Where do you think all the medical innovations, drugs, and treatments come from? Why do you think that health care is somehow exempt from the laws of economics? It's a commodity like anything else. Health care CAN be gotten by anyone who needs it. Health care is not a right. Because if it was then someone else would have a corresponding obligation to literally treat you for free. Why don't you put down Das Kapital and pick up a book on basic economics. The lure of profit is the only thing that gives us the great quality care we have now. How many new drugs or inventions have come from government programs? It shudders me to think that somehow just because something is vital, that it grows on trees, harvested by magic unicorns. Please inform me where this utopia exists where every person can get top quality care for no cost with no waiting times. There is no system on Earth that gives you that. If you don't want the US and our capitalism, then fine. Next pandemic you can develop the vaccines yourself. People hate our economic system but they want to reap the fruits of it. Ingrates.
"Here I feel like if I have the funds to be cared for, then I'm allowed to be healthy." I wish this were the headline on national news daily. This is a very well spoken comparison, including the very important moral considerations. Beautiful.
Thank you so much for saying this ❤️
Healthcare should not be for the few that can afford it - Healthcare is a basic human right and we here in Britain understand that fact, our system is not perfect and a lot of people take it for granted and abuse the system and the Elites are always trying to dismantle it but they also know it will destroy any political party that tries to take us down the American Healthcare style route
Pretty much my thoughts exactly!
State provided healthcare is a benefit, not a right. You are using the term "right" to justify the ongoing left wing thievery you call "the welfare system".
It isn't just the "elites" that want to dismantle it. It is anybody that is an atheist and a net taxpayer. I paid £30,000 in income tax and NI to keep alive worthless people who smoke too much, drink too much, and eat too.much (also funded by my taxes). And what do we get in return? A medal perhaps? A letter from the King thanking us for our services to taxation? No. We get treated like vermin and have your wayward badly parented children smashing up our street furniture and dabbing the walls with their illiterate graffiti.
So I quite like the idea of people that contribute little or nothing to taxation dying as soon as possible. I care for them about as much as I care about the people of Lahore - although to their credit the people of Lahore don't have the audacity to dip their hands in my wallet to fund their woebegotten lives whilst spitting in my face. That said many of the people of Lahore have found themselves attracted to the idea of people like myself funding their indolence and have taken full advantage of the "elites" inviting them here to also thieve from me.
Don't think me too heartless. I have a large family that I love very dearly. It's just that I want to devote myself selflessly to the people I love, not some scrote of a stranger I wouldn't p*ss on if he was on fire.
The elites are dismantling it right under our noses.
Whilst the NHS is billed as receiving 3.6% income more each year. This is actually less in real terms because their costs are going up and up.
Why? Agency nurses.
The agency charges triple 300% that of an employed nurse. They pay their agency nurse double 200% and keep the bit in between.
Giving the NHS 3.6% a year is no where near going to cover those bills. As more and more nurses join agencies for double pay.
These nurses are now the norm and in effect these private agencies are often multinational large businesses who skim money out of the system. The NHS has deteriorated over the past decade because of this by proxy NHS privatisation. And the government don't do a thing to outlaw it.
Hence the death by a 1,000 cuts policies that is being followed now!
Please keep reading past this first sentence when I say that healthcare is not a basic human right.
We don't have any 'rights', all we have is the ability to demand that we be treated with respect, dignity and compassion.
The Land of The Free and The Home of The Brave has far too many people who do not share those sentiments. "Bad luck if you're having problems, it's probably your fault anyway, so why should my tax-dollars be used to help the likes of you?"
Here's how it works in Australia : Every Australian citizen is entitled to free medical care, also every permanent resident and also nearly all temporary residents who have applied for permanent residency. It comes from out of our tax, generally 2% of income and if your income is low you don't have to pay that medical tax. If you earn around $100K a year it's a little bit more.
I pay an insurance premium of $2800 per annum on top of that so I can go to a Private Hospital for immediate admittance for non urgent situations and have my bill paid for, whether I'm in ICU, HDU or COU. Although I do have to pay an excess of $350 the first time I got to a Private Hospital the first time in a calendar year.
If I didn't have Private Insurance, I could still go to a Public Hospital and I wouldn't have to pay anything. It would mean a wait for anything non-urgent, but if it was serious I'd be admitted straight away.
Of course there are slight variations and exceptions to the above and benefits I haven't included as it would be far too long for write this.
Sorry if I've rambled on, stay safe everyone and good luck!
That is so wild about your primary care not prescribing insulin! I'm American, and when I moved to a new city, my pcp said the endo usually handles diabetes prescriptions, but was more than willing to write all my insulin/dexcom/pump prescriptions while I waited for my first appointment with my endo. Refusing to write those is just irresponsible! Also, you're so right about how much you have to fight and advocate for yourself in the US healthcare system. Making sure I get the right care feels like its own part-time job sometimes
That is absolutely crazy a GP would not prescribe a needed medication as she described. That hasn't been my experience in the US at all as you are saying LoraK.
One word struck me more than anything else in this video and that was when she described anyone looking for health care as a "consumer". As a Brit, that truly horrifies me
Yes, indeed. A consumer is deemed to have bargaining power. If you're having a stroke or heart attack, or if you're unconscious, how much bargaining power do you reckon you'd have? Thank God for the NHS❤
That is a good summary of what is wrong with US healthcare: It is for profit and that just doesn't work for healthcare.
The rot started when patients suddenly became " clients" ...a patient: someone who receives care...a client?? Hairdressers and ladies if ill repute have them
British doctors don't work for free either. Fact of life.
Imagine trying to navigate the US healthcare system if you are really sick and don’t feel good. How is a person supposed to heal if they are so worried and stressed about money and access?
EXACTLY!!!! And that stress makes them worse, which then eats into one's mental health and purpose...it's just insanity to me! I hate this!!
This video is one of your best! You are a great teacher and advocate for all T1Ds. Thank you!❤
Oh Anita, you have no idea how much your comment means to me! I was very nervous to release this video becuase I was concerned it would come across as complaining or bashing of the healthcare system, neither of which I wanted to specifically do. I just wanted to share my story, and I'm so glad it came across. I'm truly thrilled with the way people are responding, because it makes me feel less alone. I think it makes us all feel that little bit less alone. Thank you for your continued support and positivity - I can't tell you how much it means to me ❤️🥹
As a t1d in the US, and as a healthcare worker let me tell you, it is the most frustrating thing ever. My insurance doesnt cover the pump or dexcom even though i pay my insurance from my job(they take it out of paycheck) and i get the most expensive because of the liberty of going to different specialist . I pay around 250 dollars for my 2 pens lantus 4 humalog pens and libre. Also i require prior authorizations. Thank you for touching this subject.
Thank you for sharing this. I am just so so so sorry this is your experience. It’s such a complicated and ridiculous system.
Im on Lantus, Im also in Australia. I pay $45 for 5 BOXES with 5 pens in each box. I pay around the same amount for my Novorapid.......what you pay is robbery. Monitors, sensors and pumps are covered and cost nothing to the patient other than what we pay in our taxes which is a levy of, from memory, around 4% of total income.
I'm 65. To get health care, not being employed anymore these days, I have to go downtown and stay at a homeless shelter and make appointments to get into a dental clinic, and Eye clinic, and a clinic for other things like scripts filled, check-ups, or refered to metntal health specialists. When I was pre-teen, my mom took me to the dentist twice a year, and the family GP twice a year for check ups. We had one surgeon we went to for surgical stuff. My tight tight dad payed the bill when he got it. Because he COULD! Not well off either in the early years. We live in a very cruel society, in the US. I can't even get soc-sec till I'm 67, and there's talk of raising it to 72.
Really sorry you have to live with that. I'll be 60 in November and will start get free prescriptions, that's all of my medication Wii be free. Despite our appalling conservative government running public services into the ground, I love the NHS.
I'm really sorry, it should never be so difficult or expensive to get the healthcare you need.
I live in Germany, the official retirement age here is also 67 and there is also talk of raising it to 70. I was lucky that I was born in the years that were still allowed to go earlier, based on the fact that I had worked 45 years, as well as having 50% disability. I was able to retire at 63 (I'm 69 now).
I'm glad you just made it. Raising the age is always discussed here. When I was born in 58 the age was 63. then 65 a decade ago. Lately talk has been 67. I have toget a lawyer to apply for social security because I owe back child support. @@patriciamillin1977
You have perfectly described the US Healthcare System - along with what you need to do, and who you need to be to survive it. & dare I say thrive. Absolutely Perfectly. Healthcare here is for profit, not for people.
Thank you so much for saying this! I was honestly very nervous to release this video because I didn't know if I was explaining my point well enough or if it would come across as complaining (which I really really didn't want), so you really have no idea how much your comment means to me!! Thank you!!! ❤️
@She's Diabetic You are so so welcome! Listening to you, I felt completely fully seen. It really meant a lot to me.
I found a lump at 7am, phoned the dr at 8:30 and was seen at 9am, was sent for a scan later that afternoon was told there and then it was a blood clot. Was sent straight back to my dr who prescribed injections every day for 6 weeks and sent the prescription to my preferred pharmacy but first the nurse taught me how to inject myself before I left. All done within the same day and all from one doctor. Thank you NHS
I should also say I pay £10 a month for a pre paid prescription, so no matter how many prescriptions I get I still only pay £10 a month. I’m also asthmatic
I should also say I pay £10 a month for a pre paid prescription, so no matter how many prescriptions I get I still only pay £10 a month. I’m also asthmatic
Rang the doctor about a persistent cough, the doctor worried so in that day full exam,so antibiotics. Still not right chest listened to bit worried chest X-RAY. Another test done. Still got the cough , why I don't know and neither do they. However they've looked and can't find exactly what is wrong.. but they've written off everything really dsngersousn
Wow Andrea. What a minefield you have had to navigate. Your story makes me appreciate how fortunate we are here in Australia, where we have (by comparison) a much more user friendly health system. My GP knows what medications I take, including insulin, and prescribes them all. If I see a specialist and he gives me a changed prescription he advises my GP, who can then write any subsequent prescriptions. Hope you become accustomed to it as time goes by. Best wishes from "down under".
Im from Australia and we have a similar system to the UK and i think its far better than having to pay for insurence if you cant afford to we also have the insurence option which many of us have to cut the wait times on surgeries and to have choices of doctors but if you dont have money for health insurence then you are still treated which is better in my eyes.
There are big differences between the Aus and UK system. The fact that in the UK you can get out private insurance yet, so few do is simply due to the high quality of the NHS as a service. In fact, if there was an emergency while someone was at a private hospital in the UK, they are often ambulanced to an NHS hospital.
I have just moved back to the UK from Australia, and find Australia’s healthcare system much easier to navigate. Sure, you may have to pay a Medicare levy, but there’s an abundance of gps, including bulk billed, you can get a pump if you’ve been on health insurance for a year, as far as my diabetes goes, I only had to see an endo to get pump approval, and then left to my own devices, which suits me well.
@@Sandersthoz um honey, that isnt a difference between your system and ours, that is the same as ours. You dont know much about the Aussie system going by your comment.
I am so proud of you for making this video!!
You know I completely agree that the US healthcare system needs an overhaul.
I am lucky that I don’t have a chronic illness or need life sustaining medications. I don’t know how people who absolutely need their medications to live make it in this country.
Well hellooooo my Sis!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for these kind and supportive words!! You may not have a chronic illness but you do know first hand the struggles. Partners of T1D's have a lot to deal with as well, and basically...they are our angels. Thank you for being so supportive and wonderful, always!!!! MUAHHHHH!!!!
Thank you for doing this video I didn’t realise how hard it was in the USA I’m so glad we’ve got our national health service. My wife’s friend lives in Florida and told us about the insurance cover she has to pay for her son who had a accident fell from the back of a pickup truck head injury so been nursing him 24/7 with her husband who also has health problems thank you again for this explanation 👍💖
Just found your channel, interesting video. My 3 kids were diagnosed (each of them around 9 or 10 years old at the time - they are 17, 14 and 12 now) while we were in the US. Fortunately, we had a good team at University of Maryland but yeah the endocronologist and nurse we worked with did all the insulin prescriptions and we worked direclty with them and my insurance covered a fair bit but we still had to pay. One nice thing was there was an online ordering system and they'd mail the insulin (in very cold boxes) to us. Also, my eldest got prescribed Tandem pump and Dexcom and the younger ones Dexcoms, we had to pay deductibles and all that on everything so yeah that was a negative. We moved to the UK a couple years ago and now we order through the GP to pharmacy and insulin is all free so that's a plus. On the downside they would not prescribe any of them insulin pumps, the NHS has very strict guidelines on who gets one. They did get Freestyle libre CGMs but honestly they are cheap and terrible so we're buying (far superior) Dexcoms for all 3 of them. All the other needles, Tresiba (nighttime insulin) and other things are all given to us by GP so big plus. The ordering of prescriptions isn't always fluid, they have an online website to order but it doesn't always come thru to pharmacy as we'd expect so requires a bit of chasing down. We are now signing up through the NHS App to order so I'm hoping that's more fluid!
One strange but very fortuitous incident was that my eldest's Tandem pump stopped charging while on a trip to the US this August and needed replacing. We called Tandem and they said there's still a warranty on it until November and they'd mailed us a brand new replacement! Fortunately my dad lived nearby so we had it sent there on the last day of our vacation before flying back! Only question now is what we do about warranties after November - I need to reach out to Tandem and endo team to see what may be feasible - fortunately it's brand new so likely to last a good 3-5 years! Overall, I agree NHS system is much better and even if you have very little money you are well supported and we have never had any major problems getting care.
Insulin is free on the NHS, along with pumps, pens, needles etc and of course regular checkups
Absolutely incredible. Taking care of your public - what a concept! If only things were the same here!
It’s not free. People in the UK are so uneducated that they believe that nonsense.
You have your heart in the right place, Andrea. Hope everything settles in soon!
Thank you! It is continuing to settle and I feel glad I can at least personally speak to this issue to other people because I’ve been through it - so there’s that little silver lining at least!💙
I’ve been diabetic for 2 years - I had a total pancreatectomy in 2022 because of pancreatic cancer. I’ve only just found this channel but I love how positive your energy is! I’m from the UK but worked in the states for a few years (before all of this happened) and I got super sick once, and having to be on the phone whilst an insurer convinced me not to have an ambulance because it was too expensive was just crazy… I cannot imagine the stress with private healthcare whilst dealing with these severe health issues. Keep doing what you’re doing and thank you for the videos ❤
It's worth mentioning that as a diabetic all prescriptions in the UK are free of charge. Not just the medication directly for diabetes but *all* prescriptions.
Yes!! Great point!!!
American diabetic supplies are expensive. Takes a lot of money to keep us alive
Indeed it does!!!
I have been watching your channel for a couple of years because my partner has type 1. I have really appreciated your content. My partner has really struggled with the healthcare system here in the U.S. maybe not as bad as some people but that's not really saying much. We've considered moving to another country for better healthcare since navigating the U.S. is negatively affecting his diabetes but its not easy to pack up and move to another country either
I've seriously considered moving but like I tell a lot of people who suggest it just the cost of my medications alone make it impossible for me to move anywhere. Not unless I found a good paying job willing to help offset immigration.
Hello from South Wales. Two of my uncles, my mother's brothers were diabetic, and one of them, as well as her great uncle Bryn lost both legs to diabetes, as well as almost total blindness in the case of the latter, so I'm very vigilant about not eating many sweet things. I don't take sugar at all and allow myself just one square of plain chocolate after my main meal of the day. The other uncle I mentioned didn't have amputations but sadly drank himself into an early grave. You look great and I hope you'll enjoy a long and relatively healthy life, within the confines of having to cope with this illness. I'm 5ft 8 and just over 9 stones {126lbs} undressed but have always had to battle in order to not get fat. This could be a blessing in disguise, because a pal of mine had a physique like Bruce Lee, ate whatever he wanted, smoked and drank a lot but died of a massive stroke at 49. I'm 66 now and plan on living until at least next week ! The best laid plans of mice and men, etc.!
You didn't mention that in the U.K. you also have the option of taking out private health insurance and using the private sector for medical treatment. This doesn't disbar you from using the NHS, but can be useful to jump the NHS queues.
I started watching your channel to be more informed but at this point I really enjoy watching your channel because I appreciate who you are as a person. Obv I don't actually know you but I hope you get my drift.
Also the blonde looks freaking incredible!
Well...that just means the world to me 🥹 Gosh thank you so much for sharing that with me. You've honestly made my day...week...month! Thank you sweet woman! We're all in this together and I'm so grateful for you!!! And thank you re the hair too! As someone who never dyed their hair before this...It's been quite the journey...! 😂❤️😘
We in the UK do know that it's not free. We understand that "free at the point of need" still needs paying for. It's only people who want to decry such a system that dismiss it because it's "free".
Yes! This!!!
Exactly “Free at Point of Need” I spent 20+ years as a high rate taxpayer in rude health then got diagnosed with MS and now I need the neurologist, the MRIs and the drugs they are there and I don’t have to think about cost or insurance cover. So for years my tax helped others and now other peoples tax is helping me. That’s how society should work.
My son is also a Type 1 and I Thank God we live in the UK! I have seen the struggles some people have with getting treatment/medication has reduced me to tears. My son gets everything he needs from his insulin to yearly feet and eye checkups. He is a young man who has to deal with his condition and if he had to go through what everyone does in America and the cost it would cripple him both emotionally and financially for life!
Hi Andrea,
I have been a diabetic for 44 years. 28 years on shots and 16 years on Pump. I am glad that you have finally gotten settled with your plan. I decided about 10 years ago to join a Direct Primary Care Office instead of going to the doctors in the system. Direct Primary Care are doctors that do not take insurance. I do have insurance. Direct Primary Care Doctor charges a monthly fee ($75) that includes your care as needed, but it is so worth it! They are found all over America. The doctors really care. I just use my insurance for my insulin and pump supplies, Retina Doctor and Dietician that manages my pump. I am a retired teacher and have always had great private insurance, but I got very tired of what you are saying! It was so complicated to me going to all these doctors for this and that. This direct Primary Care doctor does all my labwork, prescribes all of my insulin and pump supplies. So basically, I have a Direct Primary Care Doctor, a Dietician that specializes in Diabetes care for the Pump and my Retina Specialist eye exams. I guess I have created my own way of dealing with Diabetes bypassing some of the complications of the system yet using insurance to use some of the system.
I love your videos! I was recently forced to switch to Medicare because of age, which has been a nightmare. However, I am keeping my Direct Primary Care and everything else as usual. I have adjusted my own plan to Medicare usage. The biggest change is that Medicare does not cover my Omnipod/Libre 14, but they do cover the Tandem and dexcom so I am about to switch to that. I was on Medtronic Pump before Omnipod. I was very upset at first, but I think it may be a good change for me with Control IQ. I watched your videos on that and it put me at ease! Thank you Andrea for all of your wonderful videos.
Oh wow - thank you so so so much for sharing this, I am most definitely going to look into this!!!! TRULY THANK YOU!!! And for what it’s worth, the tslim is such a FANTASTIC pump, truly the best on the market I believe, so though it is so very annoying and ridiculous that you are being forced to switch I think you will find the system to be pretty remarkable. Just my 2 cents! Thank you again!!!!
I’m here in the uk 🇬🇧
I absolutely praise the NHS ❤️
Long and short of it, I was born in 1979 with a heart condition, I had a major operation, open heart surgery in 1980. (The first baby here to have the op I had). Obviously at no cost to my parents.
At age 34 (10 years ago) I was diagnosed with Type 1. Again with treatment at no cost to me, all my equipment and insulins supplied. I’m on Libre 2 cgm now. Then I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid age 36, again, tablets at no cost to me, then this year had a pacemaker fitted (March), again at no cost to me. Without the NHS I literally would not be here typing this now. I pay national insurance out of my wages that I don’t begrudge at all.
I wouldn’t like to be in America with your “health care” system.
Thank you for this video. Enlightening 🙏🏽
I'm a Brit living in Germany. We don't have the NHS here, we have various insurance companies and can choose which one to go with. The costs are the same, we pay 15% of our salary, no matter which company we decide on, so sometimes it just comes down to what they have to offer or convenience, i.e. mine is a 3-minute walk away.
Here the GP also takes care of everything, but will also refer you to a specialist, i.e. cardiologist, urologist etc., if necessary, at no extra cost.
Andrea,
That's unbelievable, I am shocked how crazy that your GP couldn't give you a script for insulin. What a system, so sorry it's so hard, and for all the poor people who can't advocate for them selves as you can.
Australia's system is very similar to England, and overall, it is very good. I won't take it for granted anymore. 🙏💕
I'm glad you have the care humanity deserves there! To me it just makes sense...and to care for your people I believe sends a message of value to each individual that I think makes a whole community/country better and more caring towards one another. 🥹💝
Hi Andrea
It is great that that you posted this video, because it made me realise just how lucky i am, in the UK. I get all my diabetes supplies free, as well as the many tablets i have to have each day.
It mjght rub salt into the wounds a but, but in the UK, T1Ds get a medical exemption card. This means we don't pay a penny to the pharmacies. In my town, the pharmacy i use actually delivers all my meds. Due to retinopathy, i they also put all my meds into blister packs, so i just empty each compartment of its contents at the time of day required. It's something that i don't believe people appreciate enough about our NHS.
Love your videos. Keep doing the great word you do - you keep me sane.❤🙂❤
It makes me so happy to read this. The care you get is the care everyone should get, and even though we don’t have it here, and it’s a big old complicated system, my heart is truly truly happy when I hear of people being take care of the way they need. I know what you mean about not appreciating it enough, it’s hard though because when that’s all you know, you really can’t truly comprehend the other side without living it. I’ve seen that first hand now. Thank you so so much for sharing all of this, I truly appreciate it, and I truly appreciate your being here and watching the videos too! It’s a pleasure to have you here!
@@ShesDiabetic Andrea, we only get one chance at life. How governments that are in a wealthy nation can not treat their citizens with a healthcare system that is free for all.
We now get Freestyle Libre 2 on the NHS, which has been great. I have pretty bad diabetes distress/burnout from time to time, plus depression, charcot foot, Addison's Disease and I'm registered as being partially sighted. Right now, I'm on top of things. I'm training myself to get away from the judging of myself and the numbers. I had a tough specialist who was all about the numbers. I would put fake blood test results in my logbook, as by that time I had stopped caring. I was traumatised by my diagnosis. It was quite a story, but I'm sure you don't need to see that 🙂.
I love your videos - you give an honest account of your life and your diabetes, good or bad. I don't have any T1D friends but I'm starting to reach out. Anyway, you take care and please look after yourself 🙂
James
Nice to see you back xx
Thank you!! It's great to be back! ❤️ x
I was diagnosed when I was 19, in 1987. I was a full time student at the time and my father's insurance stopped covering me after age 18, so I was screwed. The hospital got temporary Medicaid for me because they wanted to be paid for my stay (8 days) but after 3 months the state said I was no longer eligible. I finally got insurance through my job maybe 10 years later, but had to wait a year to use it due to pre-existing conditions. It didn't cover any medication/prescriptions so I still had to pay for everything out of pocket. AFter a few years my job insurance changed and it was great. When the ACA/Obamacare/state marketplaces happened, insurance costs to small businesses like the one I worked for increased greatly and my individual costs also shot up. Never had a deductible before, now it was thousands of dollars. Much higher co-pays for doctor visits, especially specialists. But throughout it all my diabetes coverage (excluding my very first insurance) has been fantastic. Low or no cost for insulin, pumps, CGMs. Don't have to meet my deductible for any of that. I know my costs have increased because insurance companies & the individual states have to provide low cost plans to people who can't get insurance through their jobs. I'm okay with that. I have family members who get their insurance through the marketplace and I am very grateful that they can do that.
I've heard many anecdotes about the U.S. health care system. It sounds like it treats you like a number, not a person. And that number has a $ in front of it.
Yep, you got it, perfectly said 🥴
As a British citizen, for all the faults of the NHS, I love it. It neecs polishing so to say. Im happy for my tax money to mostly go to that system. Its a saftey net I'd much rather have than not.
Couldn't agree more - you put it perfectly!
Me too, just hope it survives the Tories' watch.
I’ve lived in the US for many years; raised my family there. Now am back in the UK, London, & am ill for 7 yrs now with ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, & POTS. I feel that the country cares about my welfare, I so appreciate feeling that safety net. Many times I’m too sick to attend my GP appointments, so we do it over the phone (mostly symptom management, medication stuff). But the other BIG difference I’ve noted, is here, when you see a doctor, you go in, sit down with the doctor for the duration of the appointment. You have their undivided attention for 10 or 20 mins. In the US, doctor will triple book patients for the same appointment time. So the doc comes in for 2 mins to hear about my complaint, hands me a gown to change into, says he’ll be back. Then I hear him next door, knock-knock, “Hello Mr. Smith, what brings you in today?” Same thing. Then he come back to me, examines me for 3 minutes then says “Change back into your clothes & I’ll be right back”. Then I hear him go to a third room. Knock-knock, “Hello Mrs. Jones…”. I sit & wait for another 5 mins. Then he returns to me, tells me I have whatever & hands me a script & says goodbye. They see as many patients in a day as they can. I don’t believe when they’re juggling patients they’re really paying attention & you can feel them rushing you. You can tell it’s all about making money.
My great aunt was one of the first test patients for insulin when it was manufactured with pigs in the UK. I earn about £70k a year and pay about £20k in national insurance and tax... I can't imagine a world where people are denied care for something like diabities because of thier ability to pay. Especially where the treatment is now so cheap to synthesise and 70+ years old. I have been to the USA many times, a beautiful country and people, it amazes me how the population is unwilling to move social support on from the 1920's.
As a UK resident I can go to or be taken to hospital and never have to pay anything up front. I think it's amazing! It's Such a brilliant system! I'm so glad we don't have insurance companies running it or anything really!
It’s becoming a class system in the U.K. now too, those who can afford it, pay to go private, whereas many of us who can’t afford this are unable to find an NHS dentist, and I’ve been waiting over a year too see a consultant about a recent health issue. The plus is, I don’t have to pay for my prescriptions as I live in Scotland.
@@piranone6215 As a Scot and considering the amount of money taken from Scotland and the lies of the English press and your comment I think it is definitely time for Scotland to say bye bye to people such as yourself , permanently .
@@piranone6215actually it’s just how the different countries have decided to allocate their NHS budget. England is the only one of the four U.K. countries that doesn’t have universally free prescriptions. I will point out though that it’s swings and roundabouts because although in Scotland there are free prescriptions the upper cap on what is paid for procedures at an NHS dentist is around £80 more than in England.
The whole “England pays for it” argument is just nonsense, it is based on some weird sort of belief that only those in England work, shop and pay taxes (there are four countries that contribute to the U.K. economy, not just one) and makes the person making the argument sound like a petulant child because someone is getting something that they aren’t. Though the English are very good at shouting about how the Scottish get free prescriptions but they also never mention that neither the Welsh nor the Northern Irish pay for prescriptions either.
There are lots of exemptions from paying for prescriptions, pensioners, children, people with chronic health conditions and those on benefit etc
That has been the plan of current govt, underfund in order to say it is failing and sell it to private sector.
@@jasondesignmedia7495 I agree, they want a US style system so they can make money out of it. Several current ministers are on record as saying they favour such a system.
I lived in the US for 10 yearsi really hated the healthcare system
Am so glad to be back in the UK
Weve had excellent care with the NHS
My cousin had leukemia his treatment under the NHS was amazing he is now cancer free
Thank you, Mr Aneurin Bevan.
I had a frustrating experience earlier this year. I had to fight with insurance last year to get my Omnipod 5 because it was a new system. This year, my employer switched to a new insurance plan, so I had to redo my prior authorizations. And my doctor and I had to file appeal after appeal (I would file one, they said my doctor needed to file it, and then they said I needed to give permission to them to speak to my doctor) and they kept denying it. Finally, 3 months in when I was nearly out of supplies, they contacted me and basically said, "Oops, our bad. We didn't mean to deny that. It actually is a covered system, we just accidentally denied it."
Lovely to see you, Andrea. I live in Canada and we have great health care except until you are 65 you have to pay for medications. There is also a special plan for low income people. I have an endo and a family doctor. and an eye doctor. That’s it. The cost for us to get insurance when we travel to the US is extraordinary. My issue is that there are so many people in the US who can’t afford health care..only first world country where that is the case.
i am canadian too also lets not forget how long it takes health canada to appove any new devices and meds
@@lynnshell78 I hear that! Way too long!
Why do y have to paybfor health care after the age of 65.
@@tenniskinsella7768 we don’t have to pay for health care at all. After 65 our medications are paid for as well.
@@christinewelch8365 The US is the only First World country which spends most of its discretionary budget on the military. If we reduce our military spending, we will need to withdraw from NATO and from our other mutual defense treaties. That's the basic choice: NATO or free healthcare.
A Brit living in Canada . I can tell you horror stories of some of my family and friends in the US whose lives have been destroyed by health care costs. The NHS is a treasure and I'm glad I live in Canada where I won't go bankrupt or die. So sad.
I’m in the UK, diagnosed as Type 1 45 years ago. I’m on the Dexcom G6 and the Omnipod 5 with lots of other health conditions. This video was “eye opening” or should I say eye “watering” 😮 Yes I pay tax and national insurance but I get all healthcare and supplies FREE. The NHS has its faults, but my god….i am truly grateful it exists 🇬🇧❤
So happy I live in Canada and don't have to have to pay insurance or deductibles. Happy to pay bit more in income tax for universal health care for me, and all Canadians.
Couldn't agree more!
Welcome to Type-1 life in America! We have learned over our many years how to navigate these waters. Wear shark repellant.
Wear shark repellant lol 😂😂😂 so so so very true!!! 🦈
Good, useful and balanced video. Well done.
Thank you so much! That means a lot!! I try to strike a balance as I never want to make sweeping generalizations, so thank you!!
Thank You
Thank you for watching
I've lived in the U.S. my entire life and I still share all of your frustrations. It's expensive to be an insulin-dependent diabetic here. As a Type 1 who does a lot of research, the other thing that frustrates me is that new and improved CGMs and insulin pumps always seem to get approved in the UK and EU anywhere between one and three years sooner than they are in the U.S. Why is the FDA so slow?
No kidding…such a good point…if we’re paying here shouldn’t there be some benefit? And yet it remains the opposite - we wait longer…madness!!
I agree but I'm guessing that the FDA is literally overwhelmed with all the medical "stuff" that the FDA gets inundated with every day. I don't know if the FDA looks at other countries health agencies or just their own findings which could help to speed things up a bit.
I'm in the UK, but have recently been looking in to the FDA having seen the series Dopesick (I'm just generally interested in systems of regulation and how and if they work). On another youtuber's video I tried making a list of the UK agencies that handle parts of what the FDA does:
> MHRA (Medicine and Healthcare Regulatory Authority) - They look at the data to determine if new drugs (and possible medical devices and procedures are safe)
> NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) - This body make recommendations about what are the best treatments to follow.
> ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) - They review all advertising, and there are very firm limits on how drugs can be advertised and where (I think pharma ads for example are limited to publications for the medical profession). I think food and drink advertising is being increasingly tightly regulated too
> FSA (Food Standards Agency)
> DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs) - I think this group handle a lot of the farm and supply chain concerns, but not 100% on that
I'd estimate that the UK with a much smaller population has at least 5 agencies that collectively handle what the FDA tries to do on its own. Sometimes it makes sense to combine agencies, but in this case it feels like the division allows for each part to concentrate on what they know. The MHRA is a pure data analysis that only asks if the drug is safe and if it works. NICE covers a part that feels largely or wholly mishandled in the US system, they are part of how the NHS negotiates with drug suppliers by looking at how effective it is vs other treatments and how cost-effective the drug is, which replaces the pharma rep approach in the US. The US system seems to ask the doctors to read up on all the medical journals, remember every paper etc, while also asking them to do all their patient consulting, diagnosis and treatment. This might be OK when you get to the specialists but for primary care that would seem to be overwhelming (even without some of the egregious things Purdue Pharma did like describing a letter to an editor as a major study - The 'Porter-Jick Study' will get you the details if you want to read up on it).
I was surprised by you saying the FDA are slow to approve medical devices, there was a documentary on Netflix, "The Bleeding Edge", that seemed to imply there was a process that let companies rush devices through without proper checks, though maybe the insulin device people are behaving responsibly? It does seem to be the case though that they are clearly underfunded for what they are expected to achieve, but then maybe that reflects the wider difference in culture about regulation between Europe and the US - in Europe you have to prove it is safe, the US seems to be happy with settling on having no evidence that something is not dangerous so isn't scrutinised to the same level. Sadly, against that cultural backdrop of regulation between 'socialist' and wanting government spending cuts, I don't think you'll make much progress soon
Im British and i was diagnosed with Type 1.5 Diabeties 3 years ago during Lockdown (which is the Adult Type 1 Diabetes) I have been paying National Insurance for 37 years here and my T1D medication is through the NHS but its by far from perfect, we have our fair share of problems over here too waiting on appointments to see different doctors for other medical things and the waiting list is extremely long but i will say NOT when it comes to T1D medications. I do sympathise in a sense with people living in the U.S with T1D who have to go through so much hassle and different doctors as you described Andrea especially for the working class people living with T1D who don't have the money to pay for the best medical care over there. I believe all of us T1D,s should have their medications free living with T1D is challenging enough as it is and we got this disease through no fault of our own, i might add, so you dont need the added stress when it comes to getting your medication especially a medicine to keep you alive.
I've never heard of type 1.5 diabetes. You can get type 1 as an adult so why don't you identify as type 1? What's the difference?
Exactly...you've stated that perfectly...if you have a chronic condition you have to either have money or be so poor you're on Medicaid. The people who are working and trying to provide for their families while fighting this disease and this system...it just doesn't make sense to me :(!
One of your comments sort of drove home the point. You said, "the consumer here" which really brought home your point. In the UK I have never considered myself to be a "consumer" when it comes to healthcare. I am either feeling well or I am a patient if I am not feeling well. I do not consciously think that I am in a marketplace.
A great video, Its so refreshing to see a Brit speak openly about the very basics of American Healthcare.
I wished you'd been tougher tbh and said more, I've tried to educate Brits about the American healthcare system for decades and had great difficulty, Brits seem to think money is endless here, so in their eyes its affordable, many Brits think everyone in America has it so much better, they only focus on the good ignoring the bad.
Some I've spoken with compare it to car insurance because we pay deductibles or excess as they call it, they cant grasp the idea that every year we have to pick a plan and start from scratch paying out to build up our deductibles, so eventually the Insurance might kick in its share, that coverage changes yearly with most plans, They speak with Americans who are happy with their care and the cost but don't realize some people here get great coverage for very little money but many pay a lot for a simple basic plan that covers at a lesser rate like 50%.
Most Americans only know this system so to them its normal, They have heard lots of negative comments about the NHS from the media which will always say's the UK's taxes are higher, those comments by the media and politicians are made to keep Americans happy and baffled, there is far too much profit in our system here.
Id like to know how long on average you wait to see your GP after entering the Doctors surgery/office.. I usually wait 40 -45 minutes.
A member of my family was taken ill earlier this year, he had extreme headaches, and could not focus his eyes. One phonecall for advice resulted in an ambulance appearing at the front door, admission to an A&E department, Blood Tests, MRI scan , on line consultant, 2nd ambulance to another hospital, more MRI scans the next day, followed by an operation to remove a Brain Tumour. After a short time he was back at work , and contributing to the economy through his taxes, Total direct costs were less than £20 for car parking!
Under the USA systems I guess that he would not have had enough personal insurance to cover the costs involved, and so would have become disabled and ceased to contribute.
Wow - I'm so glad your family member got the care he needed - and excellent care at that. Thank goodness!! In the US I'm not sure how it would work becuase it's not like they don't do the procedure if you don't have the money, but the back end is confusing and co-pays can be high. But then some people get away with not paying them? Or once you've hit your max 'out of pocket' they cover 100% of things. I'm not saying this to correct you, I'm just saying it to 1) shed light on the complexity and 2) slightly dispel the notion that if you don't have the money they leave you to suffer. However, I do think becuase of the confusion/lack of coverage and fear of medical bills in general people are waiting longer to address problems and that can result in a disability (like you said) that can be irreversible. The whole system is sad. It's stories like yours that remind me how wonderful the NHS is and how well I truly works. ❤️
i am a nurse in the nhs and so greatful that we see everyone regardless of ur background. Save the nhs and please use ED responsibility
I am a nurse in the USA and we beyond see everyone regardless of background. No doctor or nursing in a hospital setting knows or cares about you ability to pay and it has zero impact of the care you receive. We are treating half of mexico, central america and Venezuela daily free of charge along with huge segments of the US population totally free,. You only get hammered if you are middle class and trying to making something of you life, then you better have insurance or you credit score will be wrecked.
Whilst the maths varies, for anyone on the UK earning average, or even a fair bit above average, the amount of tax they pay that goes towards the NHS is less than half what the same person would pay for decent health insurance plus tax for health in the US. And that covers not only you, but your family, and best of all, everyone else in the country. The NHS is not perfect and has been strangled financially, elective operations can take a long time, and mental healthcare is not very good, but if there is anything seriously wrong the care is fast and excellent.
Nope, that is a lie. People in the US don’t spend 15% of their salary on medical care. And unlike the NHS, we can actually use our system, not he put on years long wait lists.
I lived in the UK for years, the NHS is absolute garbage.
Nice to see you again. Your hair looks nice
Thank you so much! Good to be back!!
You hit the nail on the head when you used "consumer" in reference to the US whereas in the UK you are a patient 👍
Sad, but definitely true I feel 😢
The irony of Universal Wealthcare, but not Universal Healthcare!
Very very very true....
For those who have a Kroger near them, I cannot recommend the Kroger Savings Club enough. I do not have good insurance anymore through my work so my prescriptions were going to cost thousands of dollars a month. Now my prescriptions are $20 max with the savings club and it's only $32 per month for one person and $72 for the family up to 6.
Thank you so so much for sharing this! I’m definitely going to look into this and spread the word about it as well!
My experience of the NHS is very recent although I'm a UK citizen and now retired, I've been very healthy my whole adult life and thankfully never suffered a serious accident so between my youth and until recently never had cause to use NHS services. I'll not go into details how but through indirect means it was discovered I had had a heart attack that I did not know about and over the last few months have been a regular at my local hospitals.
I've paid national insurance all my working life both as an employee and self employed so class 1, class 2 and class 4 NI, for many years all at the same time since I had both PAYE income and self employed income at the same time. I've never begrudged any of it even though I'd gone 30 years without any direct personal benefit from it because everyone dear to me, friends and family did, be it maternity, illness, accident or old age pensions they all received the care and attention they needed regardless of whether they were well off or completely skint. Even when paying the most NI I don't think I paid more than any reasonable US health insurance would have cost me and now that I'm an OAP I get a state pension from those contributions.
I dread to think what it might have cost, out of pocket, under the US system for all the care and attention I've had, probably many hundreds at least if not a thousand+ but not having to give cost even a moments thought when you suddenly have to undergo multiple procedures, consultations and take six different drugs every day to manage a possibly life threatening condition, all provided completely free at the point of delivery must be a huge stress relief just when you need to not be stressed. I say 'must be' because being born and raised in a social healthcare country the idea that stress by cost of care might be a factor is simply an alien concept to me. I think the timescales would have been faster under the US system but I know for sure that if I had needed faster treatment then faster it would have been, as it was my condition was not immediately life threatening, the heart attack being quite some time before it was revealed, and after CT's MRIs Echocardiograms and an Angiogram it's been determined to be a stable condition manageable by drugs and that an operation would not be helpful. The out of pocket costs? so far about £20 for parking, it usually costs about £2 a visit to park though for the bi-weekly blood takes it's almost always free because I'm not there long enough to rack up a parking charge there being a free time period.
Oh, and the cost of the multiple drugs which I'll have to take for the rest of my life, hopefully another 25+ years?, completely free, zero cost, god knows what they might cost in the US but for me zilch, nada, nowt, forever. Order them on an app from my phone, get a text message two days later saying they are ready for collection from my local chemist and they would deliver them to my door free of charge if I was unable to collect them due to infirmity.
Is the NHS perfect? No. Is it brilliant? Damned straight it is.
I.m thankful I ddont live in the states. In Canada we can see doctors for free we dont get free medicine unless you have extended health inurance but definitely we re more taken care of north of the border. I personally feel that the United States health care system really isnt a health care system its more of a money makng business. Any country that only takes care of people who can afford to pay $$$$$$ to get care isnt a health care system its a business and people who need the care the most suffer from it.
Like she said, a universal healthcare system is not perfect but i just can't imagine having to price check for doctors and healthcare.
When i was diagnosed, I went into the IC unit of my local hospital for DKA, the nurses were surprised i was still walking. I got blood drawn and tested every hour for three days while they tried to get my acidity down. I got consultations and instruction from Diabetes Educators. I got insulin samples and CGM samples and i walked out of there and payed nothing but my sincere thanks to the people who took care of me.
That's how it should be and i'm happy to be paying into the system that did that for me and does that for others.
Why do 2/3 of Canadians have private health insurance?
@@chaist94 As a Canadian, I don't know what you're taking about.
@@user-pq3v2yw3v as an American, I am not surprised you are unenlightened.
@@chaist94 In Belgium is a lot payed by the governement health care and also many poeple have an extra private health insurence. Why? The extra cost is cheap. That is just for the extra's like a single room when in hospital, or that you can stay as parent together with your child in hospital, ... All those kind of extra's cost you about 120 euro's per year. So yes a lot of poeple found that extra for that price worth. We do not have that long waiting times for operations as in the UK. There were some longer waiting times during corona because lower capacity of corona, but that was temporary during some months.
Healthcare as a class system? Disgusting.
I know…it’s awful!!
A friend of mine has lived in the US for 25 years. As a Brit he had used the asthma inhaler Becotide for years, then his US medical insurer told the doctor that the cheaper generic version of Becotide must the prescribed. My friend tried it and it made him ill because while the drug was the same, the propellant gas was not. After a lot of persuasion by the doctor, the insurer eventually agreed to fund the Becotide version he was used to.
I’m British and i and the majority of people do not mind paying for the NHS through their tax we have always looked at it as we are helping poorly and vulnerable people especially those having chemo and life saving test and care you have done a very goodwell rounded presentation and thankyou for your warmth towards my country❤️🇬🇧🇺🇸
Let's be real, every doctor has his hand in our wallets, and there's no motivation to help us stay healthy because that cuts their co-pays. Ugh!
Yep…just…YEP 😔
Hi Andrea, 😇
I'm sorry to hear that. I knew but I didn't know it was this bad.😐
US healthcare system is truly embarrassing. It has the strongest economy but the weakest healthcare system.
In fact, it would be more accurate to call it the “healthcare system market”. The states spends money on so many things unnecessarily that it cannot be explained.
But according to them, there seems to be no harm in classifying people according to their health expenditures. Shameful. 😡
It's unbelievable that people don't react to it.
A perfect example of class conflict. 🤔
May health, happiness and peace always be with you my friend. 💙
And more money...😬
yes, you are right about the NHS, but there is also a private medical sector in the UK, with insurance and / or self pay options. I my wife is diabetic (type 2), all her medical visits, including eye checks and prescribed medicaton is free at the point of delivery, all she has to pay for is travel & parking. She needed a cataract operation, we contacted an eye specialist at the local private hospital, our insurance would cover up to a sum for out patient consultations and doctor's surgery fees as well as all in-patient hospital costs, leaving the balace payable by the patient. 6 months later the NHS did it all for free, all we paid was for me to driver her to the clinic & home afterwards. Whichsystem is better? The UK because all patients will receive the care they need irrespective of financial status, but for the rich with top level insurance the private system is better for most treatments, and often gains access to faster treatment too.
What excites me is the progress of the human species in advancing our standard of living, energy flux density and scientific achievement, not amassing lots of personal possessions. So, I would rather we take care of the needs of things like medical, housing, infrastructure and then put the rest of the resources into making our species more advanced.
You are 100% correct, it is a stratified system and I am embarrassed by this whole mess.
Agreed 😢
I feel blessed to be living in Canada, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows here either. I’ve been diabetic for 21 years and finally this spring our provincial healthcare finally started covering insulin pumps for people of all ages. However, I will still have to pay for pump supplies and insulin until I meet my deductible. I do have private insurance from my workplace that covers 80% of my pump supplies, insulin and cgm. The only truly “free” part about our healthcare is that we can walk into a doctors office and as long as we have our provincial health card we don’t have to pay. But that’s payed for by taxes. I do get my choice of endocrinologists, however if I need insulin any prescriber (dr, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist/ pharm d) can prescribe me insulin and most diabetes supplies. The only exception is an insulin pump and supplies. It’s really interesting and sad hearing how different it is in the states
It really depends on province. Ontario gives you $600 for pump supplies every 3 months. So your out-of-pocket quarterly expense is about $150 after the ADP payment. And then my insurance covers 80% of that.
I moved to america when I was 11, I love America..
I did not understand when growing up but I sensed the fear my family felt with every doctor appointment.
We where lucky my mother had cancer (multiple times) when I was 8/10 (ish) but everything went fine then we moved to America..
Every year mother had follow ups and it felt even as a child like a hammer was about to fall..
I met a young lady when was 18/19 that was born with type 1 diabetes and you could see the toll this took on the parents, I don’t think ppl really relate the finical stress a family feels with a multi thousand dollar guaranteed bill, it’s scary with surprise bills but then one you see hanging over your head all the time is so much more..
I moved back to the uk when 21 and am a staunch supporter of the NHS..
I called my (NHS) GP last year following the presence of blood in my urine. I was given an appointment for the next day. Within just a few weeks I had a cystoscopy, CAT scan, MRI scan, biopsies taken (under full anaesthetic) and umpteen samples of blood taken. As a result I now have a confirmed diagnosis of prostate cancer although thankfully the nature of the abnormal cells are not aggressive, and I am now on a program of regular blood tests with follow up appointments to check PSA to monitor the cancer in case of the need to take further action. I would be stuffed if I lived in the US.
So to get treatment you have to be well enough to visit lots of different doctors waiting for appointments each time. Makes perfect sense. 🙂
I lived in England and worked for a British company for a year or so. At that time, people often with conditions needing more than routine attention, had to wait in line for care. Here, if you 'have the money' service occurs instantly. This is one benefit of the US health system. Also, when it came time to pay for the NHS in Britain, nearly everyone complained of the high taxes involved with that. Your experiences however speak loudly. As a t1d you received good health care there without having to wait. Thanks for the evaluation of both systems.
I am in UK, in my '70s - having been born into the early years of the NHS. I have regular prescriptions. I log into my GP account and click the box that says I need more medication. I could have it delivered, but choose to take the pleasant walk to my chemist/pharmacist as it's on the village green with a pleasant pub for refreshment before my lakeside walk home. I am booked in to my GP for my annual long-term condition review (I call it my pre-death inspection), followed by flu jab and covid jab.
In UK, a diabetes diagnosis will make all your prescribed medicine free of charge. Also blood sugar monitoring devices such as Freestyle Libre 2 can be prescribed for free. Your retinal scans and foot care appointments are annual and free. Insulin is free. Your HBA1C tests are free.
I'd be interested in what the yearly costs are in both systems! I believe that for the level of benefits it's possible to receive, pound for dollar the cost of the UK NHS is a low cost platinum health insurance, with no deductibles!
This may be a good comparison video to do explaining to US citizens how cost effective the UK health system is!
Your PCP/GP was bad. I've seen a PCP for over 20 years and she had no issues prescribing my diabetes supplies. I only started going to an Endo a couple months ago because my insurance basically requires me to be on a pump or I have to pay 200 a month for tresiba.
I've spent hours of my life on an annual basis arguing coverage with insurance. If it's commercial insurance don't be afraid to contact the states insurance commissioner if they are not covering things that they should. I found the contact for the board of directors for Humana at one point and had to email them on an annual basis as well to get my test strips.
Thank you so much for this video!
I am not diabetic, but I do have several chronic health conditions and have lived my whole life in the US. I am in my late 20’s and my top priority rn is literally finding a way to move to a country with socialized healthcare. My life is so hard here with paying medical bills, and I cannot explain just how difficult it is to get ‘ahead’ (save money, etc.) as a chronically ill person.
It makes me so angry that I pay so much in taxes here, only to also pay for insurance every month, AND more than 1/2 of my doctors do not take insurance at all, so it’s out of pocket.
I am terrified of medical bankruptcy. This is the reality for chronically ill ppl in the US.
You might think about moving to Canada. I am Canadian and can attest to our healthcare system. It seems very similar to the UK, whereas we don’t pay when we get medical services, such as going to the doctors or if you’re in hospital, we don’t get billed. of course we do pay through our taxes, but is nice to know that if you really have to go to the hospital or need an ambulance, you won’t be charged exorbitant fees. We have our problems in Canada like any other country but I can’t imagine living in the US and having to worry about. Should I call an ambulance or maybe not because I can’t afford it. Or even if I have to go to the doctor for something simple as a migraine and have to worry about pain two or $300. I must say, though that if you need prescriptions, not every province or territory in Canada, use those for free. I live in Ontario and we do have what it’s called OH it’s the Ontario health insurance service, it covers most of your medical expenses, but not prescription drugs. It is helpful to have an insurance plan from your employer to cover those prescription cost.
I’m in the UK and a Type 2 Diabetic. I’d like to also add that I am happy to pay a contribution of my salary to pay for the NHS. In the UK those who of us who earn enough are allowed to not pay any form of income tax or national insurance contribution on the first £12,500 that we earn. After that through PAYE we pay 20% income tax (some who earn more, are in a higher rate bracket) and 8% contribution to National Insurance; to pay for the NHS. Our employers also pay around a 10% of our full salary contribution to National Insurance. In reality our payment is taken from our salary before we are paid, so when budgeting on our bring home pay, it’s already accounted for. There has also been mention with regard to prescription charges. The per item charge is not a cost for the medication but for the dispensing of it. In fact many GP practices won’t prescribe medications that are cheaper than prescription costs as these can in the main be bought over the counter at a pharmacy. Pensioners, the unemployed or people on benefit, are eligible for free prescriptions. also sufferers of certain conditions - including diabetes, are exempt from paying prescription charges. to be clear, that’s any prescription charges; not just for medications that cover their exempting condition. Beside diabetes, I also have other conditions. My NHS medical exemption certificate covers prescription charges for those medications as well. For everyday health care the NHS is truly free at the point of service. Yes it has it’s issues, but in the main, I for one am grateful for the NHS and continue to be daily.
The NHS is a residence-based healthcare system. This means that you are entitled to use the NHS even if you don't pay for it through Income Tax and National Insurance (this applies to persons who are ordinarily resident in the U.K. and - if subject to immigration control - with Indefinite Leave to Remain).