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Original poster

Silly question! What happens if you can’t afford hospital care I’m America?

166 replies

PrettyLittleLiar20 · 02/04/2020 19:38

This is going to make me sound stupid I know!

So here in the UK we have the nhs and even if you’re working you’re hospital stay and care is free!

So what happens in the US if you work but can’t afford to pay hospital fees? Do you have to pay it in instalments or are things like having a baby and cancer treatment free?

OP posts:
n00bMaster69 · 02/04/2020 20:54

Even children don't get treated without the ability to pay, it's an evil system,

Tarararara · 02/04/2020 20:55

This is a good article explaining about the uninsured, and also a potentially bigger problem due of the undocumented

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-us-canada-51840233

Elouera · 02/04/2020 20:58

A UK friend worked there as a nurse, and couldn't hack having to turn people away at the door, unless they were literally having a heart attack or not breathing and blue! She had to use a barcode scanner, to charge every single item to the patient. Possibly the same here in private care? For taking blood for example, she had to scan cotton ball, cleansing wipe, tourniquet, needle, vacutainer, her own gloves to use on that patient etc.

I've heard of people having to choose which finger gets sewn back on after an accident, as they couldn't afford all 3 to be put back on!

A friend living there had very good insurance, but after a bicycle accident, the ambulance took him to a hospital where his insurance wasn't covered! He ended up with a mahoosive bill!

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General health
Purpleartichoke · 02/04/2020 20:58

It is incredibly frustrating that we don’t have universal health care because

  1. it is a public health issue. This pandemic has shown that clearly
  2. those of us who can pay face higher bills Because we are subsidizing the people who don’t ever pay their bill.

I would much rather be subsidizing quality care for all. It wouldn’t be any more expensive then what we pay now and we wouldn’t have to worry that people are dying because they can’t get care. The key here being that they have to take the profit out of healthcare to pay for it. Health Insurance companies are very well compensated right now.

Needallthesleep · 02/04/2020 20:59

Trump is refusing to reopen enrolment to Obamacare at the moment. So so many people are going to die because of his actions, it’s appalling.

vickibee · 02/04/2020 21:00

I thought Obama had changed things for the better with a scheme for the people that couldn’t access insurance

Theyweretheworstoftimes · 02/04/2020 21:07

You die or you are broke forever. It's a terrifying prospect

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-latest-cost-us-healthcare-covid-19-treatment-health-insurance-a9415641.html%3famp

Salene · 02/04/2020 21:10

A lot of people there are one pay check away from being on the bones of there arses

My ex boyfriend lives there , ok-is life, roof over his head, wife , two kids small amount of savings

Wife fall pregnant by mistake with baby no 3 which they couldn't really afford , baby born turns out lots of complications and wife needed some treatments for cancer .

Absolutely no savings at all left and now some debt of medical bills

Wife at home with. New born , 3 year old and 5 year old , ex boyfriend falls down stairs in there apartment and breaks his leg

No job now as zero hours type contact, absolutely no money coming in, more medical bills to pay for his leg and 3 kids and a wife to feed

Calls me up in floods of tears saying he can't take it anymore, he is broke , financially, physically and mentally and can't see a way out

He has a master degree and is a uk citizen , he couldn't get a very well paid job when he moved there, he can't return to uk as wife isn't EU, unless he can support her but with no job to come to that's not possible

Absolute living nightmare just be cause no NHS, it just snowballed out of control in the space of 6 months to getting by ok to having nothing

My husband, my mother and my nephew sent him some money to help pay his rent so they didn't get chucked out till her could walk and get back to work and they are very slowly recovering but in a lot of debt now and it scares him so much , I feel so sorry for him

But just shows how things can turn bad for people over there quickly

It's a nice place to live if you are rich but if you aren't I wouldn't recommend it.

Standrewsschool · 02/04/2020 21:15

I was watching Undercover Boss USA. The boss man at the end paid of some medical fees for some of his employees, roughly $20 000 per person. I realise now why they were so grateful.

Xenia · 02/04/2020 21:19

It is not that much free in the UK for those of us who have paid hundreds of thousands in tax it is just some of us pay a lot more fr he NHS than others in the UK. I have seen my GP once in 15 years as I am lucky enough not to get ill so for me that 10 minute appointment in effect cost thousands and thousands of pounds as about a third of our tax goes on the NHS. I wish we could opt out and reduce our tax bills by a third.

LemonSock · 02/04/2020 21:26

Yes, @Xenia, I think we’ve seen evidence of your ‘I’m all right, Jack’ attitude’ very frequently on Mn. Though one frequently suspects that your high-powered law career, large family and private island are entirely imaginary.

RU562341 · 02/04/2020 21:29

They do not turn you away in most places.
They have to treat you in an emergency- so if you and up in ER and then need ITU care they have to give it regardless. They will run up a huge bill that you will be liable for, though.

RU562341 · 02/04/2020 21:32

It is not that much free in the UK for those of us who have paid hundreds of thousands in tax it is just some of us pay a lot more fr he NHS than others in the UK. I have seen my GP once in 15 years as I am lucky enough not to get ill so for me that 10 minute appointment in effect cost thousands and thousands of pounds as about a third of our tax goes on the NHS. I wish we could opt out and reduce our tax bills by a third

When you are elderly you will take a lot more out- probably more than you paid in.
I am happy paying a small amount a month, knowing if I need chemotherapy or major surgery or a kidney transplant I don't have to worry about paying hundreds of thousands of pounds for it. And I haven't been to a doctor in about 10 years, so I am well positive in contributions, I reckon.

Itallgoingpetetong · 02/04/2020 21:33

I thought Obama had changed things for the better with a scheme for the people that couldn’t access insurance

Obamacare: Has Trump managed to kill off Affordable Care Act? www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24370967

SerfNTerf · 02/04/2020 21:38

@Xenia you've had babies though right? So where did you get your antenatal care? Who delivered your babies? Did they have their 6 week/7 month/2 yr checks? And did they have all their immunisations?

I think maybe you've used the NHS more than you claim Smile

TinklyLittleLaugh · 02/04/2020 21:40

Xenia did you give birth to your large family behind a rock then? Do all your kids enjoy perfect health?

I pay a lot of tax but then again I wouldn’t want to live in an impoverished and desperate society. I want everyone to have a decent health service and education. Who wants to live in a struggling miserable country?

KitchenConfidential · 02/04/2020 21:42

As others have said, medical bills are the number one cause (66%) of bankruptcies in the USA.

Likethebattle · 02/04/2020 21:44

Nothing is free, Breaking Bad is about making drugs to fund his cancer treatment. Some people be one really ill if the can’t afford their medication like insulin and have to choose between bills and healthcare.

A standard birth costs about £10k and is estimated with pre and postnatal care to be £30k

NeedToKnow101 · 02/04/2020 21:48

Saw a documentary recently about a sort of camp but for medical treatment. Some counties in the US don't even have doctors, or no-one can afford the doctor. So medics give a bit of time to this charity and all turn up and give medical care and dentistry free for a day or two, then leave. There were 100s of people waiting for all sorts of treatments.

ocarinan · 02/04/2020 21:49

It is not that much free in the UK for those of us who have paid hundreds of thousands in tax it is just some of us pay a lot more fr he NHS than others in the UK. I have seen my GP once in 15 years as I am lucky enough not to get ill so for me that 10 minute appointment in effect cost thousands and thousands of pounds as about a third of our tax goes on the NHS. I wish we could opt out and reduce our tax bills by a third.

@xenia
My heart bleeds.

Maybe you should move to America. Of course, the whole country would probably beg you to stay since we rely on your benevolent descision to grace us with taxes but we'll survive, somehow.

Likethebattle · 02/04/2020 21:49

@Xenia well bully for you but I’m sure you will be grateful when you do need it or someone you love needs it. Have you not been for your smear tests then? If you haven’t had one in 15 years then get that booked as soon as possible. Obviously it’s free as well.

Heatherjayne1972 · 02/04/2020 21:49

As I understand it healthcare is a privilege not a right
It’s fine if your rich and/ or have a healthcare package as part of your employment contract
But if you’re poor or even moderately well off you’re going to be hounded for massive medical bills

KenDodd · 02/04/2020 21:54

What are they going to do about CV though?

They must have some sort of laws in place for a new highly infectious disease that kills people. Pandemics are predictable, we know they will come around at some point. How will America manage field hospitals etc, who would pay for them? I believe they are managing much better with testing now and tests are free (?) who is paying for that?

Likethebattle · 02/04/2020 21:59

@kendodd the president couldn’t find his arse with both hands and a map so I’m very curious about how they will deal with this.

Witchend · 02/04/2020 22:00

Put it this way. I knew someone who broke their ankle. They did manage to afford to get to hospital and have the x-ray, but couldn't afford more. The doctor put a basic bandage on it, like you would for a mild sprain and sent her home telling her not to weight bear for at least 6 weeks or she would probably find herself permanently disabled.
I can't even get my head round a doctor doing that.