[News] $1.1 million hospital bill

bha100 · Jun 15, 2020

For surviving covid-19.

I've always wondered about the American system, what happens if you don't have any insurance, do they just leave you to die?

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/inspiring-story-of-seattle-mans-coronavirus-survival-comes-with-a-1-1-million-dollar-hospital-bill/

Westdene Seagull · Jun 15, 2020

Wow .... and I don't know why I say that given I know how ridiculous the American health system is. It highlights really how stupid Americans are to keep voting for governments that don't give a toss about healthcare of those that can't afford it - or indeed healthcare at all really. Throw in the gun issue and the police issue and you have the dumbest, stupidest, most backward society on the face of the planet. Super Power my arse - super stupid more like !!!!

EDIT - I'd be interested on any views from Americans on here. Or maybe any ex-pats currently living in Stupidland.

LlcoolJ · Jun 15, 2020

Every time you start thinking "it really is a bit shit here" America TRUMPS us. Utterly insane healthcare system.

nicko31 · Jun 15, 2020

800k personal bankruptcies per annum in the US, beyond broken...

LlcoolJ · Jun 15, 2020

nicko31 said:
800k personal bankruptcies per annum in the US, beyond broken...

Well, if it's good enough for the President.......

Badger Boy · Jun 15, 2020

Have you read the story? He won't have to pay any of it.

LlcoolJ · Jun 15, 2020

Badger Boy said:
Have you read the story? He won't have to pay any of it.

Yes. That isn't the point.

It's about the ridiculous cost of healthcare in the USA in comparison to the standard of care they receive. It's off the scale compared to anywhere else.

Plus the fact that he only hasn't got to pay anything because of the nature of his hospitalisation.

Madness.

beorhthelm · Jun 15, 2020

he's insured, so what is the point of this story?

healthcare does cost vast amounts, if you stay in an NHS hospital it will be recorded and internally accounted for (from about £400 to about 2k a day for intensive care). you just dont see it so dont think of it. and for the failures of the US system they have some of the best healthcare and outcomes, which you'd expect seeing as they pay twice as much for it.

Live by the sea · Jun 15, 2020

Even most reasonably successful working class people have private healthcare in America because state hospitals there are a very basic standard & really only for poor people .

Most jobs have private healthcare included or you pay a monthly fee for it .

It’s completely different to here in England where you can choose to have private healthcare cover , mainly taken up by middle class people with the extra money to pay for it . But the state hospitals ie NHS are very good but waiting times can be problematic depending on your needs .

LlcoolJ · Jun 15, 2020

beorhthelm said:
he's insured, so what is the point of this story?

healthcare does cost vast amounts, if you stay in an NHS hospital it will be recorded and internally accounted for (from about £400 to about 2k a day for intensive care). you just dont see it so dont think of it. and for the failures of the US system they have some of the best healthcare and outcomes, which you'd expect seeing as they pay twice as much for it.

Badger Boy · Jun 15, 2020

LlcoolJ said:
Yes. That isn't the point.

It's about the ridiculous cost of healthcare in the USA in comparison to the standard of care they receive. It's off the scale compared to anywhere else.

Plus the fact that he only hasn't got to pay anything because of the nature of his hospitalisation.

Madness.

I don't think you understand the American system. Neither do I, for the record, but I took the time to read the story rather than just the headline.

LlcoolJ · Jun 15, 2020

Badger Boy said:
I don't think you understand the American system. Neither do I, for the record, but I took the time to read the story rather than just the headline.

I did read the article and I do understand how the system works. Or rather how it doesn't work. It is a disgrace.

Stat Brother · Jun 15, 2020

beorhthelm said:
he's insured, so what is the point of this story?

Not every American can afford health insurance or even have access to it.

Live by the sea · Jun 15, 2020

I have some friends who live in Tel Aviv and they seem to get the best of both worlds regarding healthcare.

Israel has similar to a NHS system , but the standards are actually if anything a bit higher . You have to join one of four healthcare providers which is mandatory but low cost . All the providers are run as a not for profit .

If you want you can top up and get private healthcare insurance but the difference in quality is only small because Israel’s health care standards are already high but it will allow you faster treatment in some cases ie hip replacement etc but not for emergencies where everyone gets treated the same.

This system seems to work very well as Israel has a high life expectancy slightly higher than ours in fact .

Before some clever clobs tries to highjack this post and talk about life expectancy in the Gaza Strip etc , obviously I am only taking about Israeli healthcare . Palestinians have their own but I have no idea how effective that is .

pb21 · Jun 15, 2020

How much of US health insurance cost is inflated? Is it really a free market or is their any cartel type effects going on? Or is that a true and fair cost?

Harry Wilson's tackle · Jun 15, 2020

LlcoolJ said:
Yes. That isn't the point.

It's about the ridiculous cost of healthcare in the USA in comparison to the standard of care they receive. It's off the scale compared to anywhere else.

Plus the fact that he only hasn't got to pay anything because of the nature of his hospitalisation.

Madness.

Indeed. The cost of healtcare is ramped up because insurance pays. Their healthcare is per capita twice as expensive as ours.

I have an interest in the cost of healtcare owing to my interest in what it takes to 'make' a drug (from the initial idea to the synthesis, proof of concept, efficacy and safety in animal models, first in human studies, randomized trial and marketing). It is insanely expensive, but even if the drug is good it has to be sold in order to make money. I have argued that the model does not work and the only rational way to make drugs is to have one global company, but that's communism and it will never happen.

beorhthelm · Jun 15, 2020

pb21 said:
How much of US health insurance cost is inflated? Is it really a free market or is their any cartel type effects going on? Or is that a true and fair cost?

its competitve, but also a lot of expensive equipement, treatments, facilities provided, and not necessarily efficient. a big problem is legal liabilities.

Blue3 · Jun 15, 2020

Almost with out exception every American I have meet are polite friendly open people but the Americans I tend to meet come from New York or other large North American cities and on the whole they would not recognise the Trump or his supporters world, that is with one exception the idea of universal health care any suggesting of such and you are undoubtedly a communist who should be deported.

I think the issue lies at the heart of what being an American citezen is all about, work hard to earn lots and keep as much of your wealth for yourself, if you want to help others then donate to charities as they almost all believe in very little government involvement

Westdene Seagull · Jun 15, 2020

Badger Boy said:
I don't think you understand the American system. Neither do I, for the record, but I took the time to read the story rather than just the headline.

So you think it acceptable that anyone without a job - so is unlikely to have health insurance - wouldn't get that life saving treatment ?

Westdene Seagull · Jun 15, 2020

beorhthelm said:
he's insured, so what is the point of this story?

healthcare does cost vast amounts, if you stay in an NHS hospital it will be recorded and internally accounted for (from about £400 to about 2k a day for intensive care). you just dont see it so dont think of it. and for the failures of the US system they have some of the best healthcare and outcomes, which you'd expect seeing as they pay twice as much for it.

What an utterly ridiculous post. The point of the NHS is that it treats EVERYONE equally and nobody has to pay at the point of delivery ( eye care and dentistry being the exceptions but don't get me started on that ! ). What should the cost matter to anyone receiving said treatment ? The the US system may well have very good healthcare .... but it's only for those that can afford it. Be out of work and the system will happily see you die a painful death on the street.

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[News] $1.1 million hospital bill

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