I live in Australia and suffered an A.V. malformation in my brain that burst one day in 2021. I was flown to a major hospital in the city for emergency brain surgery. I woke up again 1 week later with a bunch of tubes coming out of me and no idea where I was or how I got there. After they took the tubes out of me a few weeks later I found out I had to learn to walk again. I was released for out-patient care 3 months later, the whole thing cost me exactly $0.
My next door neighbour and close family friend (when I used to live in the states) had a freak accident and required a heart transplant.
The cost of the transplant surgery and all related medical expenses would have put his family into astronomical medical debt for the foreseeable future. He opted to just die and donate the rest of his organs instead of putting his entire family in debt forever.
He left behind a wife, a daughter, and a special needs grandchild who him and his wife were raising because their daughter had some drug problems.
I remember reading a news story from the states once about a construction worker that got into an accident that took three of his fingers. When he was in hospital they talked about his treatment and discussed with him how much each finger would cost to reattach. In the end he was only able to afford two out of three fingers.
And if you think these stories are made up or untrue, most Americans are so normalized to all this that it would shock anyone else in the world. There are so many stories like this in the US …
America is the disturbing confluence of Virginia colony’s desire to make some money no matter the spiritual cost and the Massechussets colony’s desire to control the spiritual life, no matter the cost in money.
I went to a Dr for the first time in 3 years to have my shoulder looked at. Spent about an hour at the place, and saw the Dr for maybe 5 minutes. I ended up getting prescribed maximum daily dose of acetaminophen, and some steroids (cheap garden variety). All in it cost me 167 dollars, which was within my deductible, so after a month, I finally got a bill for the full amount. The 200 bucks a month for my insurance and it didn’t cover shit (my employer pays most of it, but my contribution is still like 240 dollars a year).
It’s really fucked. Unless I am actively dying I will not go to the hospital. I barely cover rent. Weird new pain? Well hopefully it goes away and isn’t a symptom of something worse…
I live in Australia and suffered an A.V. malformation in my brain that burst one day in 2021. I was flown to a major hospital in the city for emergency brain surgery. I woke up again 1 week later with a bunch of tubes coming out of me and no idea where I was or how I got there. After they took the tubes out of me a few weeks later I found out I had to learn to walk again. I was released for out-patient care 3 months later, the whole thing cost me exactly $0.
America really screwed over it’s own people.
My next door neighbour and close family friend (when I used to live in the states) had a freak accident and required a heart transplant.
The cost of the transplant surgery and all related medical expenses would have put his family into astronomical medical debt for the foreseeable future. He opted to just die and donate the rest of his organs instead of putting his entire family in debt forever.
He left behind a wife, a daughter, and a special needs grandchild who him and his wife were raising because their daughter had some drug problems.
I remember reading a news story from the states once about a construction worker that got into an accident that took three of his fingers. When he was in hospital they talked about his treatment and discussed with him how much each finger would cost to reattach. In the end he was only able to afford two out of three fingers.
And if you think these stories are made up or untrue, most Americans are so normalized to all this that it would shock anyone else in the world. There are so many stories like this in the US …
https://www.buzzfeed.com/morgansloss1/18-stories-health-insurance-claims-being-denied
I hope one of those was the middle finger.
It’s crazy to me that needing a heart transplant doesn’t make you eligible to enroll in Medicare but needing a kidney does.
The point is moot! Since the GOP is gutting medicare/medicaid anyway.
The debt would go with the person. A kid is not responsible for a parent’s medical bill.
(At least that’s my understanding)
They will still try to collect and hope you fall for it.
Yes, the good Ole corporate greed and ignorant humans not knowing thier rights.
It was a state with filial responsibility so he was concerned that his daughter would be held liable for the unpaid dues. This was in 2002.
TIL that’s crazy. I wasn’t aware of this term.
America is the disturbing confluence of Virginia colony’s desire to make some money no matter the spiritual cost and the Massechussets colony’s desire to control the spiritual life, no matter the cost in money.
But like, think how rich 10 guys get off that. They’re so cool.
My routine colonoscopy was over $1000 and insurance covered alllll but $300.
I went to a Dr for the first time in 3 years to have my shoulder looked at. Spent about an hour at the place, and saw the Dr for maybe 5 minutes. I ended up getting prescribed maximum daily dose of acetaminophen, and some steroids (cheap garden variety). All in it cost me 167 dollars, which was within my deductible, so after a month, I finally got a bill for the full amount. The 200 bucks a month for my insurance and it didn’t cover shit (my employer pays most of it, but my contribution is still like 240 dollars a year).
Health insurance in the US is a racket.
It’s really fucked. Unless I am actively dying I will not go to the hospital. I barely cover rent. Weird new pain? Well hopefully it goes away and isn’t a symptom of something worse…
Technically, if you ignore everything it does go away.