Only in America, the world's greatest country...

[outlander]

Admitted at the ER, two day stay at the hospital (42 hours).

One CT scan of the stomach and abdomen, 5 liters of saline water, intravenous antibiotics, a room for a day and a half, and blood work of course.

$16,200 insurance price
$6700 cash price.

 

[Paco Dennis]

Sarcastic: I love how free market capitalism has built a medical system that is too expensive to use.

 

[Warrigal]

Admitted at the ER, two day stay at the hospital (42 hours).

One CT scan of the stomach and abdomen, 5 liters of saline water, intravenous antibiotics, a room for a day and a half, and blood work of course.

$16,200 insurance price
$6700 cash price.

Assuming that was a public hospital and not a private one, that would cost you nothing in Australia. However, you would not get your choice of doctor.

 

[Aunt Bea]

The good news is that we receive treatment in medical emergencies and are not turned away if we can’t afford it.

 

[hollydolly]

Assuming that was a public hospital and not a private one, that would cost you nothing in Australia. However, you would not get your choice of doctor.

Same in the UK

 

[WOLF ANGEL]

Blessed in the U.K. & it's N.H.S.
.
Officially launched at Park Hospital in Davyhulme, near Manchester, England (now known as Trafford General Hospital).
Labour's Minister for Health Aneurin Bevan is popularly considered the NHS's founder



In practice, "free at the point of use" normally means that anyone legitimately registered with the system (i.e. in possession of an NHS number), that is a UK resident in clinical need of treatment, can access medical care, without payment.

National Health Service (England) - Wikipedia

 

[DonnyO]

Whats the wait for a hip or knee replacement in UK or Australia?

 

[hollydolly]

Whats the wait for a hip or knee replacement in UK or Australia?

not enough hospitals or surgeons...so we have very long waiting lists for essential surgeries

 

[DonnyO]

not enough hospitals or surgeons...so we have very long waiting lists for essential surgeries

Thats to bad. Unfortunately its either high premiums and prices like the US or long wait for elective procedures. Even in the US since Covid tough to find Doctors.

 

[againstthegrain]

Thats to bad. Unfortunately its either high premiums and prices like the US or long wait for elective procedures. Even in the US since Covid tough to find Doctors.

If the high premiums and prices don't attract enough drs why have them? In the end we're going to have to wait for treatment (we already do) and still pay the high prices and premiums, so which system would seem the most beneficial to the patient?

 

[hollydolly]

Whats the wait for a hip or knee replacement in UK or Australia?

..about a year on average on the NHS..less if it's paid privately out of pocket...

 

[outlander]

OK, here is the actual itemized list. The insurance price was actually $26,257 and cash price is $10,502.

Nothing can legally be done about it, but these medical charges are criminal.

CT SCAN $5051.00
DRUGS/DETAIL CODE $252.16
EKG/ECG $275.00
EMERG ROOM $9464.00
LAB/BACT-MICRO $1264.00
LAB/CHEMISTRY $4356.00
LAB/HEMATOLOGY $576.00
LAB/UROLOGY $198.00
LABORATORY OR (LAB) $240.00
PHARMACY $857.00
ROOM-BOARD/PVT $3724.00
SELF PAY ADJUSTMENT $-15754.30

Amount You Owe $10,502.86

Of course this is all superior extra special treatment and care from the world's greatest country, which naturally has the world's greatest medical care

 

[Knight]

Admitted at the ER, two day stay at the hospital (42 hours).

One CT scan of the stomach and abdomen, 5 liters of saline water, intravenous antibiotics, a room for a day and a half, and blood work of course.

$16,200 insurance price
$6700 cash price.

Was that an actual out of pocket expense?
My Medicare Advantage plan would be $140.00 copay for the emergency room visit & $0.00 for everything else.

 

[outlander]

Unfortunately I have one more year before I qualify for Medicare.

 

[oslooskar]

a UK resident in clinical need of treatment, can access medical care, without payment.

“without payment”????? Except for those nasty little deductions called taxes. But apart from that, it’s totally free!

 

[oslooskar]

When I was bitten on my right hand by a stray cat last May, I had to go to the hospital here in Thailand every day for about two weeks. The deep puncture wounds had to be cleaned out daily, packed with gauze, and rebandaged each time. I also needed tetanus and rabies shots, along with a full course of antibiotics. The total cost in U.S. currency came to about $689.00.

Mind you, this was a private Thai hospital, so it was on the expensive side. I submitted a claim to Kaiser Permanente, and they covered $583.00 of my bill. However, since Kaiser realized that I’m living overseas and outside their service area, they’re booting me off the Kaiser plan at the end of this month. That being the case, I’ll probably cancel my Medicare Part B and save myself $185.00 a month. I’ll also no longer be paying Kaiser $67.00 a month, which means I’ll save a total of $252.00 a month that I can put toward any future medical expenses here in Thailand.

 

[OldOld]

Unfortunately I have one more year before I qualify for Medicare.

Fingers cross you don't need medical care before Medicare starts.

 

[George1959]

Sarcastic: I love how free market capitalism has built a medical system that is too expensive to use.

It is not capitalism, it is just greed.
In all socialist or communist countries the members of the party were and are greedy as well.

In a capitalistic society a minority is super or uber rich, some are rich, some have a fair amount of money and the majority is poor.

In communist countries all are poor except the higher ranks of the party's members.

 

[Knight]

Unfortunately I have one more year before I qualify for Medicare.

I'm not promoting Medicare advantage just pointing out that advantage works for my wife & me. What works for us may not work for you. Since you have time to research what will work best for you my advice would be to start a few months before you are eligible for Medicare. Other advice would be to research Medicare advisors where you live. Find an advisor that answers questions to your satisfaction.

 

[horseless carriage]

..about a year on average on the NHS..less if it's paid privately out of pocket...

You are right Holly, I was told, back in 2016, about a year. Checking out Nuffield, the private health care company, the cost, all in, came to £12,500. At the time, it was estimated that hip replacements cost the NHS approximately £18,000. The difference is understandable but going into all the details would probably swamp the thread, if you are interested to know, Google NHS hip replacement.
Given the painful discomfort and that I could afford the cost of going private, that's exactly what I did. It was like a five star hotel, I was in for two days but only one night. Following surgery they had me on my feet, I was expecting to be laid up but no. Before being discharged I attended an appointment with my surgeon, he had my x-ray on his computer screen. No flimsy negative under a light these days.
"Is that my hip?" I asked, "It certainly is," he replied. "Can I have a copy of that?" I said. "Give me your phone number," he answered.
Ping! Went my phone.

There you go, the screws will always remain in place.

 

[hollydolly]

You are right Holly, I was told, back in 2016, about a year. Checking out Nuffield, the private health care company, the cost, all in, came to £12,500. At the time, it was estimated that hip replacements cost the NHS approximately £18,000. The difference is understandable but going into all the details would probably swamp the thread, if you are interested to know, Google NHS hip replacement.
Given the painful discomfort and that I could afford the cost of going private, that's exactly what I did. It was like a five star hotel, I was in for two days but only one night. Following surgery they had me on my feet, I was expecting to be laid up but no. Before being discharged I attended an appointment with my surgeon, he had my x-ray on his computer screen. No flimsy negative under a light these days.
"Is that my hip?" I asked, "It certainly is," he replied. "Can I have a copy of that?" I said. "Give me your phone number," he answered.
Ping! Went my phone.
View attachment 462921
There you go, the screws will always remain in place.

yep same thing hapened with me when I had my gallbladder removed... this was 12 years ago... they told me there would be a 6 month wait .. I couldn't wait... I paid privately... I was given a large en suite room with a shower... stayed one night.. breakfast was brought to me on a tray... back then it's cost around £3000 and the surgeons fee on top... today it's about 8k....

 

[OldOld]

Many people go to Thailand for surgeries. Half the price of the western healthcare cost including airfare and hotels.

 

[hollydolly]

Many people go to Thailand for surgeries. Half the price of the western healthcare cost including airfare and hotels.

how much is the flight to Thailand ?.... seriously many Brits go overseas for procedures at reduced prices, and a whole load come back disfigured or don't come back at all.. it happens with such regularity that now no-one is surprised when someone dies...

 

[WOLF ANGEL]

“without payment”????? Except for those nasty little deductions called taxes. But apart from that, it’s totally free!

It's free at source, for anyone and everyone regardless of if they pay taxes or not.
I'd rather do that, than have treatment for injury or illness be held back because of a lack or funds.

Travelling for Treatment is the hope of the desperate

 

[oslooskar]

It's free at source, for anyone and everyone regardless of if they pay taxes or not.
I'd rather do that, than have treatment for injury or illness be held back because of a lack or funds. Travelling for Treatment is the hope of the desperate

That’s a textbook straw man reply. I never said treatment should be denied to anyone, you inserted that to dodge the point. I was talking about funding, not morality. Calling it “free” while it’s paid for through taxes is linguistic sleight of hand. Bottom-line, It’s not free, it’s paid for, just not at the point of use.