Non-American Asks Americans To Clarify A Thing About Their Healthcare, The Answers Reveal How Wrong Things Are
The coronavirus outbreak is rapidly sweeping across the globe with almost 400,000 confirmed cases to date. The death toll has reached a staggering 17,156, which shows that no one is safe at this point. The world has become a battlefield.
Americans have not one, but two enemies to defend themselves from. With the current health insurance system, many people are exposed to disastrous debts and financial damages. Unfortunately, this threat is no less real than the virus itself.
So when a Scottish man named Stu Cameron tried to sum up how the American healthcare system works amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Twitter exploded with comments. Americans explained the situation in detail and the grim reality became crystal clear. Let’s dive into the discussion below.
Stu tried to make sense of how American health insurance works in this tweet
Image credits: stucam7771
Image credits: stucam7771
But Jeff was quick to announce that Stu is not even close
Image credits: jeffaschwarz
Image credits: jeffaschwarz
Coronavirus is putting the American healthcare system to the test, but experts claim that people will take the worst hit.
Wendell Potter, a whistleblower and former vice president of a leading insurance company, told Bored Panda in this previous article about the ways health insurers are failing Americans. “Ten years after the Affordable Care Act, 30 million people are uninsured and 60 million are underinsured.”
That means that in many cases, people will have no option but “to pay thousands of dollars out of their pockets before their insurance coverage will kick in.” The fear of paying expenses that so many Americans don’t have is the reason why they feel reluctant to get tested and seek treatment. But these measures are crucial to curb the viral outbreak.
Image credits: jeffaschwarz
Image credits: jeffaschwarz
Image credits: jeffaschwarz
More people expressed their frustration
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I don't want to repeat myself, but our hospital bill is 0 (zero) euros if we need hospitalization, ICU treatment, surgery of any kind, chemo. The concern of not being able to pay for hospital bills doesn't even exist here. We don't know what that is. Do I pay taxes for this? Yes. Do my health taxes amount to 12.000 USD per year? No, it's far less. Am I happy to pay those taxes for myself and for my fellow citizens who might need healthcare? YES.
You Are So Lucky!!!! In American, how many folks do you think die over worry about a hospital visit? Have you ever seen someone get out of an ambulance because they could not afford it? It's sick they way the non rich are treated in hear.
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Americans live in a ____-up society that we call freedom. Despite what the majority of the population think, the United States is not a democracy. Nor has it ever been. Instead it is a Federal republic with elected representatives. The people do not and have never made the policy of the American government. In true democracy, every person gets to vote on every subject. This is why it seems like nothing ever gets done in the United States. Because everything has to be deliberated over by the council.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
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America gave Billionaires a tax cut in 2018 that has them pay less in taxes than the working class, whose salary averages $48, 672. Amazon paid 0 taxes in America last year. Average Monthly health insurance for individuals is $231, family Monthly health insurance $833. But wait! you are not done paying! Paying this Monthly amount buys you health insurance that starts...AFTER you pay your “Deductible” (the amount you have to spend out of pocket before the insurance you buy every month kicks in) . This ‘Deductible’ avgs. $4,300 for an individual and $8,000 for a family. But wait! Not done yet! Once you’ve paid your Monthly, spent $4-8 thousand out of pocket on your Deductible, you think this insurance will cover you, yes? NOPE! Every Dr. visit, every hospital stay now also has a “Co-Pay” (a % you are still on the hook for, usually 10-30% of every bill). Phew. But, *now you’re covered*, yes? NOPE! There is a ‘Lifetime Cap’ on your insurance! What’s this?
A Lifetime Cap is an amount the insurance that you have just paid everything above for, stops at. Even if you want to keep paying your Monthly, your Deductibles, your Co-Pays...NOPE! You are now cut off. Sometimes it’s a million, sometimes It’s a little more, but not much. Yes. You are reading this right- the insurance company gets to cut you off when your health bill gets too high for them. This is all legal. Also, good luck trying to get new insurance now, you are now considered a “Bad Risk” and no insurance company will want to give you new insurance. On avg. an American individual spends $4-7 thousand a year, families $10-15 g on spotty, bad insurance. For a National Health plan, they would pay about $1,500 in taxes, A YEAR. TOTAL. $1,500 total paid once a year thru taxes. And we haven’t even gotten to their “Deny Treatment” policy. Or trying to keep up with all this billing. Or that 500,000 people go bankrupt from medical bills EACH YEAR. But sure- Keep America Great.
Load More Replies...
As a European I understand that the American healthsystem needs a massive overhaul. A lot of Americans also understand that and want that. But the fear of Americans that someone might profit from accessable and affordable healtcare is too big. Plus there's the problem that the American system is entirely constructed as a profitable business. From the insurers to the pharmaceutical industry, from doctors to hospitals. It's really bizarre to read how much money the American civilian spends on insurance premiums to be not insured.
I don't understand how you agree to blindly pay unknown how much for unknown coverage. You continue to blindly pay even you know there is a risk of zero coverage or even to risk higher cost with that coverage. Which is to pay to spend more, this is a loss ffs. In my country I know exactly how much I pay and exactly what it covers, it's the same % for everyone capable to work.
The fact that the common american people aren't protesting the streets with torches and pitchforks over this, continues to baffle me. The most scary thing is that so many people, even having encountered the fear and issues about this system themselves, still resist universal healthcare. And so many doesn't seem to understand how overall health of a country's population also contributes to prosperity in so many ways, that paying taxes for 'other peoples benefit' also benefits themselves indirectly.
Every system has pros and cons. However, I believe that the security to get treatment without worrying about the costs and the social benefits that come from everyone getting the necessary medical treatments. You can actually take jobs that benefit the society without having to worry that the organization provides healthcare or what kind of health care. I myself am from Germany and the costs for the common health insurance here are deducted with the taxes (I don't even notice it). If I wanted to I could get additional or also private insurance. I can go to every doctor I want. I never waited longer than two weeks for anything (even a surgery I had to get). I only have the regular insurance but still was operated on by a very good doctor for sports medicine (he takes care of professional atheletes when not operating on normal students). When I was a student at university I didn't have to pay for my insurance at all since I was covered by my parents' insurance.
My boss once told me she traveled to the US and had to go to the hospital. Before wanting to see proof of insurance, she had to provide her credit card. That's really hard to believe for someone who is not living it. In Germany, we have to get insurance. It's not optional but that makes it comparatively cheap. If you don't have a job, it will be covered with you unemployment benefits. So I never have to hesitate to go to the doctor at all and I'm happy about that!
Load More Replies...
There is no way this mess can be fixed in just one presidential term, either.
....I mean....how did this happen? Why did this happen? Is it because of the lawyers? Is the politicians? Is it the ones who sold "the american dream"? Because from where I'm standing, it sure looks like a nightmare. I don't know what you guys are doing over there...but things need to change a bit for your own sake.
'America...the land of opportunities' ...guess the goal is to get every opportunity to get sick and die...
Ok, you can say what you will about Canada's "free" healthcare - but it only covers so much & the wait times are RIDICULOUS! I have government provided, as well as company provided coverage & I've still had to pay out large sums for prescriptions, dental care and eye care. Of course I have up to $500 a year EACH for massage therapy, counseling, physiotherapy & orthotics - which all all essentially NON essential, but how does that help me when I need things like $800+ glasses every year?? Not complaining that hard - we still have it much better than our neighbours down south.
We read almost daily posts relating to US healthcare system Frankly, i don't know what's more incredible; the US healthcare system itself, or the population that continues to tolerate it.
If Americans could have what you have, they'd be over the moon.
Load More Replies...
As an American, I can that our health care system sucks. The bones in my ankle are fused together and I can't get that properly treated because I don't have health insurance. My sister has epilepsy and can only see her neurologist every six months. My aunt is on dialysis and has to work because her disability got cut off. I have diabetes and mental health issues and can not go see my doctor regularly. This is the reality and we have people who keep saying that our system works. Then someone explain to me why an emergency room bill is over 1000 dollars even though the doctor looked at you for just a few minutes. Explain why my sister can't get disability for her epilepsy and my aunt's got cut off. Explain why there are people with life threatening illnesses that can't get treated.
I don't want to repeat myself, but our hospital bill is 0 (zero) euros if we need hospitalization, ICU treatment, surgery of any kind, chemo. The concern of not being able to pay for hospital bills doesn't even exist here. We don't know what that is. Do I pay taxes for this? Yes. Do my health taxes amount to 12.000 USD per year? No, it's far less. Am I happy to pay those taxes for myself and for my fellow citizens who might need healthcare? YES.
You Are So Lucky!!!! In American, how many folks do you think die over worry about a hospital visit? Have you ever seen someone get out of an ambulance because they could not afford it? It's sick they way the non rich are treated in hear.
Load More Replies... Americans live in a ____-up society that we call freedom. Despite what the majority of the population think, the United States is not a democracy. Nor has it ever been. Instead it is a Federal republic with elected representatives. The people do not and have never made the policy of the American government. In true democracy, every person gets to vote on every subject. This is why it seems like nothing ever gets done in the United States. Because everything has to be deliberated over by the council.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Load More Replies... America gave Billionaires a tax cut in 2018 that has them pay less in taxes than the working class, whose salary averages $48, 672. Amazon paid 0 taxes in America last year. Average Monthly health insurance for individuals is $231, family Monthly health insurance $833. But wait! you are not done paying! Paying this Monthly amount buys you health insurance that starts...AFTER you pay your “Deductible” (the amount you have to spend out of pocket before the insurance you buy every month kicks in) . This ‘Deductible’ avgs. $4,300 for an individual and $8,000 for a family. But wait! Not done yet! Once you’ve paid your Monthly, spent $4-8 thousand out of pocket on your Deductible, you think this insurance will cover you, yes? NOPE! Every Dr. visit, every hospital stay now also has a “Co-Pay” (a % you are still on the hook for, usually 10-30% of every bill). Phew. But, *now you’re covered*, yes? NOPE! There is a ‘Lifetime Cap’ on your insurance! What’s this?
A Lifetime Cap is an amount the insurance that you have just paid everything above for, stops at. Even if you want to keep paying your Monthly, your Deductibles, your Co-Pays...NOPE! You are now cut off. Sometimes it’s a million, sometimes It’s a little more, but not much. Yes. You are reading this right- the insurance company gets to cut you off when your health bill gets too high for them. This is all legal. Also, good luck trying to get new insurance now, you are now considered a “Bad Risk” and no insurance company will want to give you new insurance. On avg. an American individual spends $4-7 thousand a year, families $10-15 g on spotty, bad insurance. For a National Health plan, they would pay about $1,500 in taxes, A YEAR. TOTAL. $1,500 total paid once a year thru taxes. And we haven’t even gotten to their “Deny Treatment” policy. Or trying to keep up with all this billing. Or that 500,000 people go bankrupt from medical bills EACH YEAR. But sure- Keep America Great.
Load More Replies... As a European I understand that the American healthsystem needs a massive overhaul. A lot of Americans also understand that and want that. But the fear of Americans that someone might profit from accessable and affordable healtcare is too big. Plus there's the problem that the American system is entirely constructed as a profitable business. From the insurers to the pharmaceutical industry, from doctors to hospitals. It's really bizarre to read how much money the American civilian spends on insurance premiums to be not insured.
I don't understand how you agree to blindly pay unknown how much for unknown coverage. You continue to blindly pay even you know there is a risk of zero coverage or even to risk higher cost with that coverage. Which is to pay to spend more, this is a loss ffs. In my country I know exactly how much I pay and exactly what it covers, it's the same % for everyone capable to work.
The fact that the common american people aren't protesting the streets with torches and pitchforks over this, continues to baffle me. The most scary thing is that so many people, even having encountered the fear and issues about this system themselves, still resist universal healthcare. And so many doesn't seem to understand how overall health of a country's population also contributes to prosperity in so many ways, that paying taxes for 'other peoples benefit' also benefits themselves indirectly.
Every system has pros and cons. However, I believe that the security to get treatment without worrying about the costs and the social benefits that come from everyone getting the necessary medical treatments. You can actually take jobs that benefit the society without having to worry that the organization provides healthcare or what kind of health care. I myself am from Germany and the costs for the common health insurance here are deducted with the taxes (I don't even notice it). If I wanted to I could get additional or also private insurance. I can go to every doctor I want. I never waited longer than two weeks for anything (even a surgery I had to get). I only have the regular insurance but still was operated on by a very good doctor for sports medicine (he takes care of professional atheletes when not operating on normal students). When I was a student at university I didn't have to pay for my insurance at all since I was covered by my parents' insurance.
My boss once told me she traveled to the US and had to go to the hospital. Before wanting to see proof of insurance, she had to provide her credit card. That's really hard to believe for someone who is not living it. In Germany, we have to get insurance. It's not optional but that makes it comparatively cheap. If you don't have a job, it will be covered with you unemployment benefits. So I never have to hesitate to go to the doctor at all and I'm happy about that!
Load More Replies... There is no way this mess can be fixed in just one presidential term, either.
....I mean....how did this happen? Why did this happen? Is it because of the lawyers? Is the politicians? Is it the ones who sold "the american dream"? Because from where I'm standing, it sure looks like a nightmare. I don't know what you guys are doing over there...but things need to change a bit for your own sake.
'America...the land of opportunities' ...guess the goal is to get every opportunity to get sick and die...
Ok, you can say what you will about Canada's "free" healthcare - but it only covers so much & the wait times are RIDICULOUS! I have government provided, as well as company provided coverage & I've still had to pay out large sums for prescriptions, dental care and eye care. Of course I have up to $500 a year EACH for massage therapy, counseling, physiotherapy & orthotics - which all all essentially NON essential, but how does that help me when I need things like $800+ glasses every year?? Not complaining that hard - we still have it much better than our neighbours down south.
We read almost daily posts relating to US healthcare system Frankly, i don't know what's more incredible; the US healthcare system itself, or the population that continues to tolerate it.
If Americans could have what you have, they'd be over the moon.
Load More Replies... As an American, I can that our health care system sucks. The bones in my ankle are fused together and I can't get that properly treated because I don't have health insurance. My sister has epilepsy and can only see her neurologist every six months. My aunt is on dialysis and has to work because her disability got cut off. I have diabetes and mental health issues and can not go see my doctor regularly. This is the reality and we have people who keep saying that our system works. Then someone explain to me why an emergency room bill is over 1000 dollars even though the doctor looked at you for just a few minutes. Explain why my sister can't get disability for her epilepsy and my aunt's got cut off. Explain why there are people with life threatening illnesses that can't get treated.
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