Tsuyoiko said:
Since her father had no insurance or money, she was dying. Is this how it really is?
Thanks guys. Would I be right in thinking there are a lot of people who earn an average wage, who have ended up in serious trouble because they are not so sensible with their money? And roughly how much does insurance cost?
kirei na mei said:
About $1500US is taken out of my husband's check every month for insurance costs. It's sickening.
That is really outrageous and expensive as all hell. I never heard of insurance that high. Maybe you should look into another provider.
It all depends on where you work and what plan you are under. There are hundreds of plans that it is so confusing. I have a friend who is self-employed and pays about $500/month for health care for 4 people; $1,500 deductable and after that he would have to pay ony 20% of major surgery.
For myself, my company pays it for me (my wife has her own insurance at the company where she works which they pay for also). I pay $20 per doctor visit or $30 to a specialist and $20 for perscriptions. I have a $2,500 deductable for major surgery and after that I pay 20% up to $1,000,000.
sabro said:
I have friends that have lost houses due to medical costs and have had to declare bankrupcy.
Health care is a crime in the US. Here is an example. I go for a blood test at the hospital. The bill from my insurance company informs me that the hospital charges $120 for this blood test, but the insurance company thinks it is only worth $60 and that's what they pay. They then laud themselves at how much money they are saving me! Me, I pay $20. The poor fellow with no insurance has to pay the full $120!! Surgeries are just as outrageously expensive. Unless he's an illegal alien then he/she pays nothing. Even for surgery!
The recent bill passed by congress now forbids families to declare bankruptacy for any reason, especially a catastrophic illeness or surgery. You will still have to pay it back in one form or another for the rest of your life!
This is one way they can ensure that they get a socialized medical bill through congress with the next administration.
Me? I will NEVER have surgery or anything major done in the US. I will go to Thailand or India where the price for the same surgery is 80% less and they treat you better with a private room according to a recent
60 Minutes report. Besides they were all trained in the US or Europe and completed their residency there.
For example, heart by-pass surgery in the US would cost about $120,000 just for the surgery! In India, the same surgery (with US trained surgeons) would cost $12 - $18,000 complete with private room and convalescence in a resort hotel by the beach!
Also, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) more than 350,000 people per year die in a hospital because of botched surgery, misdiagnosis, contacting another illeness or infection, etc. Hospital? Here? No way.