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Fed Up With The US Healthcare System, This Former Nurse Is Exposing Information Hospitals Don’t Want Us To Know
In the last decade, the US has tried to improve its healthcare, however, a 2020 study shows that only seven percent of Americans are satisfied with it. The desire for change even crosses political lines as 6 out of 10 people from multiple political affiliations all agree the healthcare system needs changes or a complete overhaul. Former nurse and TikToker Christy is one of them.
A few months ago, she quit her job at a hospital so she could speak out about all the problems she has seen and help people to stand up for themselves. Christy recently released a video on price transparency and variation in US health services and cut straight to the chase, showing proof that so many American hospitals care only about money.
RELATED:
Christy recently quit her job at a hospital where she worked for 8 years. Now she can talk freely about healthcare
Image credits: christyprn
Before you say it can’t be that bad, consider this: according to the Commonwealth Fund, which regularly ranks the health systems of a handful of developed countries, in 2017, the best countries for health care were the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Australia. The United States came in last.
The country’s health care system, the report says, spends far more than other high-income countries yet has gaps in the quality of care. And this is consistent throughout 20 years.
The U.S. had the worst performance score overall and ranked last or near last on the Access, Administrative Efficiency, Equity, and Health Care Outcomes domains. Based on a broad range of indicators, the U.S. health system is an outlier and should look at other countries’ approaches if it wants to become an affordable, high-performing health care system that serves all Americans.
The former nurse recently explained how American hospitals exploit their patients for money
Image credits: christyprn
Image credits: christyprn
Image credits: christyprn
Image credits: christyprn
@christyprnIM TIRED OF THIS. Patients are being EXPLOITED. #healthcarereform#nursesoftiktok#healthcareworkers#hospital#exploitation♬ original sound – Christy
“The United States spends far more on health care than other high-income countries, with spending levels that rose continuously over the past three decades,” the earlier-mentioned report explained. “Yet the U.S. population has poorer health than other countries. Life expectancy, after improving for several decades, worsened in recent years for some populations, aggravated by the opioid crisis. In addition, as the baby-boom population ages, more people in the U.S.—and all over the world—are living with age-related disabilities and chronic disease, placing pressure on health care systems to respond.”
The important thing is that timely and accessible health care could mitigate many of these challenges, but the U.S. health care system fails to deliver required services reliably to all who could benefit. Particularly, poor access to primary care has contributed to inadequate prevention and management of chronic diseases, delayed diagnoses, incomplete adherence to treatments, wasteful overuse of drugs and technologies, and coordination and safety problems.
Christy also released a video on how to get some of that money back
Image credits: christyprn
Image credits: christyprn
Image credits: christyprn
Image credits: christyprn
The Commonwealth Fund’s president, David Blumenthal, said at the Spotlight Health Festival, which is co-hosted by the Aspen Institute and The Atlantic, that there are 3 main reasons why the United States lags behind its peers.
A lack of insurance coverage. A common talking point on the right is that health care and health insurance are not equivalent—that getting more people insured will not necessarily improve health outcomes. But Blumenthal stated: “The literature on insurance demonstrates that having insurance lowers mortality. It is equivalent to a public-health intervention.” More than 27 million people in the United States were uninsured in 2016, which is nearly a tenth of the population. That’s mostly because they can’t afford coverage, live in a state that didn’t expand Medicaid, or are undocumented. Those aren’t problems that people in places like the United Kingdom worry about.
Administrative inefficiency. “We waste a lot of money on administration,” Blumenthal explained. According to the Commonwealth Fund’s report, in the United States, “doctors and patients [report] wasting time on billing and insurance claims. Other countries that rely on private health insurers, like the Netherlands, minimize some of these problems by standardizing basic benefit packages, which can both reduce the administrative burden for providers and ensure that patients face predictable copayments.” To put it simply, while insurance coverage, in general, is great, it’s not ideal that different insurance plans cover different treatments and procedures, forcing doctors to spend precious hours working with insurance companies to provide care.
Underperforming primary care. “We have a very disorganized, fragmented, inefficient, and under-resourced primary care system, “Blumenthal explained. The Commonwealth Fund found that many primary-care physicians struggle to receive relevant clinical information from specialists and hospitals, complicating efforts to provide seamless, coordinated care. On top of a lack of investment in primary care, “we don’t invest in social services, which are important determinants of health,” Blumenthal added. Things like home visiting, better housing, and subsidized healthy food could extend the work of doctors and improve chronic disease outcomes.
@christyprnShare this video far and wide. We’re fighting back! @dollarfor #healthcarereform#nursesoftiktok#patientadvocate#hospital#debt♬ original sound – Christy
And other important issues
@christyprnPatients over profit. #nursesoftiktok#patientrights#patientadvocate♬ Lofi – Domknowz
@christyprnMedical necessity should be determined by medical professionals. #nursesoftiktok#doctorsoftiktok#healthcarereform#ableism♬ [Chill] Lo-Fi HipHop(856799) – Yu Yaguchi
@christyprn2021, the year where HCWs can’t talk about their jobs without it turning into a political debate. #nursesoftiktok#healthcareworkers#covid19♬ original sound – Christy
People really appreciate her content
What do you think ?
Kharyss 4 years ago
As a British citizen I can say that there are problems with our national health service. It’s hugely bloated, inefficient, incredibly expensive, massively wasteful and definitely needs reform. But I know that if I get hit by a car tomorrow, an ambulance will come and pick me up. I’ll get taken to an ER. I will be triaged and have emergency aid. I will be given all necessary scans and tests. I will be given a bed (although there may be a bit of a wait). I will have surgery and any drugs I need. I will be discharged and referred to physio. I will have follow up appointments if necessary and any ongoing treatment. And at not one point in any of that process will I have to pay for a single thing. The idea of deciding whether I can still afford rent or food if I have medical assistance will never cross my mind. For that, if nothing else, I am grateful.
James016 4 years ago
As a fellow Brit, 100% this. We have already paid for it via our taxes. If we didn't have the NHS.....well that's not a nice scenario
Load More Replies...
Brandy Grote 4 years ago
My step dad has a PPO - the top kind of health insurance available, it covers EVERYTHING with minimal copays (because it's expensive, but it's part of his retirement, so anyway). He had to get a procedure that was covered by his insurance 100%. He goes in, the office mgr says oh, you need to pay me $14,000 as a down payment! Dad says, umm, nooo, my PPO covers this. So the guy finally said oh, ok. The ACTUAL amount billed to his insurance was $5000 for the entire procedure. There were other problems, and once he's fully recovered, he WILL be suing them for fraud, medical malpractice, etc.
Mazer 4 years ago
Brandy Grote - good luck finding an attorney, most won’t touch a medical case unless the damages are obvious neglect and life altering. Check out the case of Dr. Christopher Duntsch
Load More Replies...
kjorn 4 years ago
but you know... we have freedom!!!! medical debt it's not freedom. people in america don't want to give a fraction of their money for the greater good when they are not those in need! but if something happen to then NOW they want it.
Ivana 4 years ago
I like the Karen comment, a Karen we can all believe in. I would love for her to speak to the manager. I am so sick of American Health Care. Really, actually, sick...almost died this year over a damn wisdom tooth.
Pat Bond 4 years ago
Good grief, I count myself lucky that when one of my wisdom teeth caused the side of my face to swell, I had antibiotics to treat that immediately and then a few weeks later all four removed on the NHS, that was 27 years ago. The thought you could die from a moody wisdom tooth is utterly abhorent.
Load More Replies... Mazer 4 years ago
Runaway capitalism hit the health care industry hard in the late 1980’s when the push to encourage hospitals to be run like a business not a place where patients come first but the almighty dollar did. I had a conversation with the nurse who thought that was a great idea and I said to her people are going to die as a result of this because the people hired to do the financing do not want to write checks or spend money on care, they want to cut costs. Sure enough people began the denial of care bullshit, the pre-existing conditions bullshit and as a result good people died needlessly. Then came the arrogant doctor, the hyper arrogant surgeon snd the nurses who did not want to give patients their meds. I have had more than my share of shitholes disguised as medical professionals. The worst case being Dr. Christopher Duntsch, who destroyed his patients and because of effective lobbying, people can no longer sue for big money in malpractice law suits, leaving a wake of broken lives
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
And that's why my focus for life is PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICINE. We get some good feedback in Euroipe on that, at least, but the money men run medicine in the US. It's insane. My mom, a nurse, said HMOs would destroy health care (b/c of capitalist goals of it), in the mid 1980s, and she was right (as usual).
Load More Replies...
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Confirms this. Times ten. Hospitals are part of "care networks", which are just Capone-style gangs of thieves. When our primary care doc joined one, our cost doubled, yet our treatment devolved, b/c they have to pay the "network" for the network's '"resources". Ditto for hospitals, etc. these amazing resources?.... Software. Yeah. Wow.
Honu 4 years ago
The network thing can also bite you if someone participates in your care that isn't in the network for your insurance company. I had a friend hit with thousands extra on a bill. It was a planned surgery where she selected a surgeon and surgery center that were in her network. Apparently the anesthesiologist was not, so the reimbursement rate for that was much lower.
Load More Replies...
Miss Cellania 4 years ago
They're all playing games. The nursing home sent my mother to the hospital to check for a skull fracture after she fell. The bill came yesterday. The total was $9200. Her insurance company said, no, we will pay you $345 and the patient will pay $65, and that's that. So I paid the $65, but I have to wonder what happens to the people who don't have a huge insurance company calling the shots for them.
Susie Elle 4 years ago (edited)
Sometimes I read stuff like the 'explanation' that one hospital posten for not being transparent with their fares and wonder whether the person who came up with it just went like "Yeah, this is a valid reason, I mean why would the person paying be interested in knowing how much debt they're going to be in? THIS IS SO VALID!" It hurts my brain thinking someone came up with that and felt it was reasonable.
Sarah 4 years ago
Probably more like, they thought we were stupid enough to fall for it. They know it's not reasonable, but if we don't have the power to fight it, why should they care?
Load More Replies... Kharyss 4 years ago
As a British citizen I can say that there are problems with our national health service. It’s hugely bloated, inefficient, incredibly expensive, massively wasteful and definitely needs reform. But I know that if I get hit by a car tomorrow, an ambulance will come and pick me up. I’ll get taken to an ER. I will be triaged and have emergency aid. I will be given all necessary scans and tests. I will be given a bed (although there may be a bit of a wait). I will have surgery and any drugs I need. I will be discharged and referred to physio. I will have follow up appointments if necessary and any ongoing treatment. And at not one point in any of that process will I have to pay for a single thing. The idea of deciding whether I can still afford rent or food if I have medical assistance will never cross my mind. For that, if nothing else, I am grateful.
James016 4 years ago
As a fellow Brit, 100% this. We have already paid for it via our taxes. If we didn't have the NHS.....well that's not a nice scenario
Load More Replies... Brandy Grote 4 years ago
My step dad has a PPO - the top kind of health insurance available, it covers EVERYTHING with minimal copays (because it's expensive, but it's part of his retirement, so anyway). He had to get a procedure that was covered by his insurance 100%. He goes in, the office mgr says oh, you need to pay me $14,000 as a down payment! Dad says, umm, nooo, my PPO covers this. So the guy finally said oh, ok. The ACTUAL amount billed to his insurance was $5000 for the entire procedure. There were other problems, and once he's fully recovered, he WILL be suing them for fraud, medical malpractice, etc.
Mazer 4 years ago
Brandy Grote - good luck finding an attorney, most won’t touch a medical case unless the damages are obvious neglect and life altering. Check out the case of Dr. Christopher Duntsch
Load More Replies... kjorn 4 years ago
but you know... we have freedom!!!! medical debt it's not freedom. people in america don't want to give a fraction of their money for the greater good when they are not those in need! but if something happen to then NOW they want it.
Ivana 4 years ago
I like the Karen comment, a Karen we can all believe in. I would love for her to speak to the manager. I am so sick of American Health Care. Really, actually, sick...almost died this year over a damn wisdom tooth.
Pat Bond 4 years ago
Good grief, I count myself lucky that when one of my wisdom teeth caused the side of my face to swell, I had antibiotics to treat that immediately and then a few weeks later all four removed on the NHS, that was 27 years ago. The thought you could die from a moody wisdom tooth is utterly abhorent.
Load More Replies... Mazer 4 years ago
Runaway capitalism hit the health care industry hard in the late 1980’s when the push to encourage hospitals to be run like a business not a place where patients come first but the almighty dollar did. I had a conversation with the nurse who thought that was a great idea and I said to her people are going to die as a result of this because the people hired to do the financing do not want to write checks or spend money on care, they want to cut costs. Sure enough people began the denial of care bullshit, the pre-existing conditions bullshit and as a result good people died needlessly. Then came the arrogant doctor, the hyper arrogant surgeon snd the nurses who did not want to give patients their meds. I have had more than my share of shitholes disguised as medical professionals. The worst case being Dr. Christopher Duntsch, who destroyed his patients and because of effective lobbying, people can no longer sue for big money in malpractice law suits, leaving a wake of broken lives
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
And that's why my focus for life is PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICINE. We get some good feedback in Euroipe on that, at least, but the money men run medicine in the US. It's insane. My mom, a nurse, said HMOs would destroy health care (b/c of capitalist goals of it), in the mid 1980s, and she was right (as usual).
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
Confirms this. Times ten. Hospitals are part of "care networks", which are just Capone-style gangs of thieves. When our primary care doc joined one, our cost doubled, yet our treatment devolved, b/c they have to pay the "network" for the network's '"resources". Ditto for hospitals, etc. these amazing resources?.... Software. Yeah. Wow.
Honu 4 years ago
The network thing can also bite you if someone participates in your care that isn't in the network for your insurance company. I had a friend hit with thousands extra on a bill. It was a planned surgery where she selected a surgeon and surgery center that were in her network. Apparently the anesthesiologist was not, so the reimbursement rate for that was much lower.
Load More Replies... Miss Cellania 4 years ago
They're all playing games. The nursing home sent my mother to the hospital to check for a skull fracture after she fell. The bill came yesterday. The total was $9200. Her insurance company said, no, we will pay you $345 and the patient will pay $65, and that's that. So I paid the $65, but I have to wonder what happens to the people who don't have a huge insurance company calling the shots for them.
Susie Elle 4 years ago (edited)
Sometimes I read stuff like the 'explanation' that one hospital posten for not being transparent with their fares and wonder whether the person who came up with it just went like "Yeah, this is a valid reason, I mean why would the person paying be interested in knowing how much debt they're going to be in? THIS IS SO VALID!" It hurts my brain thinking someone came up with that and felt it was reasonable.
Sarah 4 years ago
Probably more like, they thought we were stupid enough to fall for it. They know it's not reasonable, but if we don't have the power to fight it, why should they care?
Load More Replies...
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