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Woman Recounts Her Dad’s Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad’s Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

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Healthcare is always an emotional subject in the United States, as Americans have very polarized opinions on the topic. They either believe that everyone should have ready access to free healthcare for the good of all or they don’t want to change a thing because they believe that the current system is an expression of the free market at work.

To many, it seems logical that all Americans should have access to free healthcare instead of having to struggle in the “pay to live” system that currently exists. And the emotional stories that people have been sharing about how the current model wrecks their lives make you realize just how big the need for change really is.

One of the people advocating for change is teacher, writer, and entrepreneur Brittany Alaine who opened up about her father’s fight against cancer, the inhumane healthcare system, and the massive financial pressure her entire family was under. You’ll find Brittany’s riveting TikTok videos where she shares the full story below.

More info: TikTok | Instagram | BrittanyAlaine.com

Brittany shared how inhumane the US healthcare system was when her father got cancer

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

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Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

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Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

You can watch Brittany’s full TikTok video here. A note of warning, it hits very hard, emotionally

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@brittanyalaineReply to @_annabelx_wild ##americaningermany ##livingingermany ##lifeabroad ##deutschland ##cancer ##germanyvsamerica ##fürdich ##usa ##cultureshock♬ original sound – Brittany Alaine

The video creator also touched upon how medical debt can pass on to your family members after you pass away, depending on the laws of the state where you live.

That means that a portion of Americans don’t just have to worry about bankrupting themselves just to pay their medical bills—they also have to worry about their relatives’ financial future if things turn out very badly. And that’s all types of messed up because it forces some folks to consider whether they should try to pay for life-saving treatment and medication in the first place.

American Brittany decided to leave the United States several years ago and pursued her dream of traveling the world. After a journey around the globe, she’s finally settled down in Europe.

“After twenty-three countries, and a lifetime of experiences later, I now live in the countryside of Northern Germany with my husband, beagle, and a brood of chickens. It’s my goal to inspire you to figure out what you want to do in this world. Then do it!” Brittany writes on her website.

Germany, where she’s settled down, has a dual public-private healthcare system. The country provides free “medically necessary” public healthcare that’s funded by social security contributions. However, German citizens must also have either state or private health insurance that covers hospital and outpatient medical treatment and pregnancy.

In another video, Brittany also explained how medical debt can be passed down and ruin a family’s future

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@brittanyalaineReply to @krispy464 ##medicaldebt ##USA ##americaningermany ##livingingermany ##lifeabroad ##deutschland ##germanyvsamerica ##fürdich ##cancer ##europa♬ original sound – Brittany Alaine

In an earlier interview, Arizona-based healthcare professional, Dr. Andrew Carroll, told Bored Panda about why the US system is structured as it is. There are clear financial incentives for companies to keep the current model. A model that sees around a quarter of all money wasted due to administrative complexity.

“It will be very difficult to reduce the administrative costs without overhauling the payment system altogether,” Dr. Carroll said who said that healthcare insurance providers don’t have American patients’ best interests at heart.

“Unfortunately, these payers tend not to have altruistic intentions towards their members. They cater to the advantage of the employers paying for the benefits, who want to try and spend the least amount of money they can,” he said. “Employers that pay for benefits will need to demand more of the companies providing the benefits or patients will need to file class-action lawsuits to demand that benefits due to them are not unduly restricted, as they are today.”

Here is how some people have been reacting to the TikTok creator’s emotional and candid videos

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

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Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

Woman Recounts Her Dad's Last Year Of Dealing With Cancer Under US Healthcare And It Sounds Insane To Non-Americans

We know it’s a sensitive topic, dear Pandas, but we’d like to hear your experiences with the healthcare system where you live and if you think that the free model works. And if you’re from the US, we’d like to hear your opinion on the system and how you’d go about improving it. Share your thoughts below.

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janetclarke avatar
Hiker Chick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of us Americans would like to fix it, but politicians are owned by the insurance corporations. People need to stop blaming regular people about this problem. The decision-makers are voted in by the minority and the system is stacked against us. As long as political lobbying is still allowed, we are stuck, and the politicians who are getting rich don't care two cents about us (literally).

viviane_katz avatar
Viviane
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

From 2020 "63% of U.S. adults say the government has the responsibility to provide health care coverage for all" However, there is a gap between Republicans and Democrats: "Among Republicans and Republican leaners, a 66% majority says the government does not have the responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage". - https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/09/29/increasing-share-of-americans-favor-a-single-government-program-to-provide-health-care-coverage/

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sylwia-ania-janiak avatar
Esca Sav
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My pops was diagnosed with gastric cancer in August 2019. 75% of his stomach was covered with a tumor. BECAUSE he was over 65 years old, he qualified for Medicare which he had as a secondary insurance since he could receive my mom's insurance as his primary. The only reason we didn't have to pay a dime is because of having two insurances. If he was younger than 65, we would've been just as f*cked as this woman right here. I don't even want to imagine what the bill would have been for a total gastrectomy. Taking my mom as an example, she is younger than 65. Last May, she had emergency surgery done on her spine and while she was put under, they let another doctor into the room, without her knowledge, that wasn't covered by her insurance. The day after my dad's funeral, several months later, we received a $96k bill. This entire country is a joke.

jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's insane, just because they let another doctor in, you have to pay $96k! I hope you are fighting that. I suppose telling the insurance company to bill whoever let the doctor into the room is futile as your mother didn't consent to it? I've seen similar stories to this: Someone got a bill for about $500 as an out of network doctor glanced over the medical notes while passing the doctor taking care of them in a hospital corridor.

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alex_davis_uwe avatar
Alexandra Davis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm chronically ill and have spent half of the last 6 years in hospital, am on 22 medications a day and am under 7 consultants. I thank my lucky stars every day that I live in England and have the NHS. If I lived in America I think the financial pressure of living with chronic conditions would lead me to suicide. I don't know what else I would do there and how people cope? I don't understand why some Americans still think is countries with healthcare like the NHS are the silly ones and their method is the best? People shouldn't have to be torn between having pain meds and leaving their family in awful medical debt or suffering awfully whilst dying. I just can't comprehend it.

eilerch2 avatar
Chenandoa
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

22 meds? Oh my...my mom hates her 12 (hard to swallow all). I hope you can find an effective and (fairly) simple treatment plan! Many chronically ill patients in the US go undiagnosed/unhelped/unheard for YEARS (often up to a decade). For instance, fibromyalgia usually takes 5 or more years for a diagnosis, but only 6 months of symptoms are needed to be diagnosed! Greedy docs dont care about curing (and often say you are a hypochondriac)

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seidwolf avatar
SeidWolf
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its not just insane from a non resident perspective - its insane, cruelly abusive, and dehumanizing to we living here...

demi_zwaan avatar
Demi Zwaan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How can medical debt be passed down? I'm not paying for someone else's debt. That would be completely unheard of in first world countries. So weird.

m2crows avatar
Mike Crow
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s all about making money to them and a little thing like death will not stop them from collecting it

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wookiee74 avatar
Chewie Baron
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in the UK, and I have HIV, have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, depression, anxiety, PTSD amongst other trivial things. I get medication for everything, and it's all free. I do not have to pay for anything. If I was in the US I would probably have been dead 20 years ago.

paigeroc2 avatar
PR
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

4.7 million UK citizens are currently waiting for surgeries. How great a system do you have?

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jencook avatar
JennyLaRue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The US medical system is so flawed. There are so many countries that have a system where you pay for your services, rather than a centralised healthcare system, and yet those countries don't have these stories of astronomical costs. It's immoral that healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies can fix their own prices, which are completely disproportionate to the level of actual value provided. They're holding people's health to ransom.

freyathewanderer_1 avatar
Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The U.S. health "care" system isn't flawed - it's hopelessly f###ed up. But good luck making even the tiniest reasonable change! There are so many things wrong with the USA that only a serious radical revolution - which, sadly, will almost certainly include blood literally in the streets (and I know what "literally" means!) - can set us right.

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numptygamer avatar
Phendrena
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was going to go on some rant about how the american healthcare system is just an utter shambles, but I decided that it wasn't worth it, as it has been said many many times before. It IS a crap poor system, you know it, I know it, your government knows it, your healthcare professionals know it and the greedy insurance and pharma companies know it.

julie_rose_translator avatar
Julie C Rose
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. It's no good telling non-Americans how "insane" it is; we're not the ones who vote in US elections.

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bigandbaguy avatar
Big
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This sounds crazy to Americans as well. Unfortunately, there is little that our population can do about our healthcare system. This is a government issue, and they don’t seem to be doing anything about it.

christinaschulte avatar
Christina Schulte
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A standard of care should not be outside of someone's means. It's so greedy and cruel. I am so angered by this.

freyathewanderer_1 avatar
Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anybody who thinks the U.S. has a great health care system needs to watch Michael Moore's documentary "Sicko." That was a real eye-opener for me. I used to think we did have a good system, but when I heard the horror stories about parents moving in with adult children because that was the only way they could afford their medications, the obscenely vile tricks that insurance companies use to d*ck around customers - before it was over, I was "woke" and seriously p*ssed off.

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fagasaurusrex avatar
Pigpigpig
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My uncle died because he couldn't afford the medication for his heart condition. He never asked for help so we didn't know he was going with out. The American health care system is disgraceful.

leodomitrix avatar
Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dad's insurance 30 years ago paid everything! Until we reached the limit. Then we were left with my dad's corpse, his funeral, and oh, yeah, $300K-plus in medical debt ------ adjust for inflation, btw, and that's about $550K in 2021. .... Fast forward, HMOs are the norm (they do not maintain health), and my hubby can't get a CT for cancer b/c the HMO doesn't deem it necessary. Yep, we have no debts ---- and no diagnostic test for cancer.

jiska12 avatar
Jiska Veldhuizen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This breaks my heart. Our Dutch healthcare system is not perfect but its such a relieve to know you''ll never pay more then 385 euros per year on healthcare if you end up in the hospital. I can't believe so many Americans are still against universal healthcare.

lyndsayn17 avatar
Winx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom's cousin had four children who were born with a rare bone disease that did not manifest itself until the oldest was about 7. All four children had to undergo bone marrow transplants, and even after many surgeries all of them died. Their family is now millions, I repeat MILLIONS, of dollars in medical debt. They received some charitable help, but they will live the rest of their lives paying a debt they cant possibly ever pay off, and every time they make a payment they get to be reminded of their babies that they lost. Someone tell me why we need to keep the system the way it is.

ana_bawn avatar
Anastaysa Asyatsana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would also like to add that if you are in the US, you should contest EVERY SINGLE HOSPITAL BILL with their financial department. Often you can get them largely reduced, but they don't tell anyone that because they want your money.

juliannehannes avatar
hmoore avatar
H Moore
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not cancer but husband just died, pneumonia with emphysema. Talked him into staying in rather than at home. It's not perfect, initial ignoring of wishes but last few days they did, on oxy mix, morphine and sedative. No cost at all, not even ambulance, or morgue stay until I could collect him. America is mad, worst country ever, no leave, no medical, guns, why anyone would go there beats me. Mexico? They're going the wrong way.....

victoriapitt avatar
Victoria Pitt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To the comment above that says a lot of Americans think a universal health care system is inferior... That's not really true. Most of the people against it are either not fully educated on what it means (largely because of false rumors) or more commonly, they are profiting off of the current system and using their power and influence to prevent it from changing. WE WOULD LOVE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE.

deepond avatar
Dee Pond
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Healthcare in the US is terrible. *Everyone* has a story about how someone close to them got screwed over and left with huge bills for something that is routine in every other developed country. Also, I really dislike the string of screen shots post format. Link the video and give me a script. Don't make me look at a bunch of awkward facial expressions while I'm trying to read....

jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For my own self, I couldn't get health insurance for seven years, during which time I became extremely ill. When I did qualify for medicaid (think, poor person's medical insurance provided by the state) I often could not get treatment because there were no medical providers willing to accept that insurance, because it's not very profitable. Since I moved back to the UK to care for my sick mother (see my other post) I have now been properly treated and diagnosed for issues that had been ignored by my US healthcare providers for YEARS. I have suffered so much and so unnecessarily, because I was unable to be a profitable patient

jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother got ovarian cancer AND then bowel cancer, and was paralyzed from the waist and bed-ridden for nearly nine months. She was also diagnosed with macular degeneration. If we had still been living in America, she would be blind and then dead. As it is, she had just moved back to the UK (our native country), and has had the following treatments: rounds of chemo, three times daily carers to help her with personal hygiene while paralyzed, physio rehab to learn to walk again, more chemo, pain meds, hospital stays, specialist visits, eye injections that keep the macular degeneration at bay, consultations with more specialists, regular check ups with two oncologists, massive surgery, hysterectomy, bowel resection, colostomy, more hospital stay, follow up care, removal of spleen, all kinds of medication, and all of that for the last four years now. We have never paid a single penny for any of it (except for parking at hospitals/clinics). She is doing great.

biljanamalesevic avatar
Biljana Malesevic
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not just USA. In my country, public healthcare is considered free and of good quality. In theory. In January, my mother had stroke, and she survived but was mostly paralyzed and in bad mental and physical state. So when doctors recommended state rehabilitation center and spa in nature with great air and all the help, naively we thought that could be the best solution. It looked great on photos but nothing in life is free. Sometimes, when you learn it, it's too late. They didn't let us visit, ever, because of epidemics, they said she is "unconscious" most of the time and can't speak so phone makes no sense. We believed them. 10 weeks later during which many patients we know died there, she was released, and she was dying. I was shocked to see what they did to her. She lost over half her weight and was living skeleton, she was starved, dehydrated, covered in terrible bruises and septic deadly bed sores, and she was fully aware and conscious and obviously tortured. She died today.

fonziebulldog avatar
Fonzie Bulldog
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, a working friends daughter dated a american male and when she one day was over from Sweden to that america she one day heard his mother asking her son what she wanted in america and if she was after their social welfare. Her son explained that she was all wrong and that they even had free healthcare for all in Sweden no matter the disease. Impossible she replied. Thats what people know of each other countries these Internet days.Nearly nothing, sadly.

jamyirogers1990 avatar
Duchess Raven Waves
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My father in law was given 6 weeks to live 5 days ago. He had been cancer free a little less than a year ago after he had been diagnossd with stage 4 prostate cancer. He developed a kidney issue and needed a stent put in. The surgeon f****d up bad. And although there is no way for ME to prove that this caused unseen cancer cells to go haywire and grow this is still what I believe happened. He had been in some DEEP denial as just 10 days ago he was working CONSTRUCTION with 2 of his 5 sons and his son in law. We have a video of him playing with them was "running them over" with a lift while they were on the other. 10 days ago. And 6 days ago the doctor had to drain 5 liters of fluid every 2 hours off of his abdomen. This family will crumble and it will be my husband they look to for help. He cannot do this. I am scared for him.

mdulbergsdesigns avatar
Explicitly sick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My friend was dying of lung cancer she was loosing her home because of medical debt. We sat outside in the sun on one of her last weekends of clarity. It is impossible to be self employed now. Healthcare is too expensive to but insurance and the cost with insurance I could fly to England pay out of pocket sightsee for a month and come home and pay less than my deductible

juliannehannes avatar
Julianne Hannes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can thank Sutter Health for driving the prices up 200% for over 20years. Look it up, they had a 60min segment on how Sutter Health ruined American Health System and made it for profit. Look it up now. Get mad, attack Sutter Health with all your might, they deserve it and you will know exactly why. We need to band together and go after Sutter Health and make them pay. Death to Sutter Health!

ana_bawn avatar
Anastaysa Asyatsana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The American healthcare system is why my fiance and I can't get married. Due to how much he makes vs how much I make, if we were to marry I would lose my Medicaid (free healthcare for those below the poverty line) and since I'm immunocompromised, we can't risk it.

perfumistaperfumista avatar
Perfumista Perfumista
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why I pay for both Cancer and Critical Illness insurance on top of my health insurance. It is galling that this is actually necessary.

jaysonhammer avatar
TrickQuestion
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's so much "why should i have to take care of other people" bullcrap. I hear it about public schools, healthcare, infrastructure and other things whenever i try and tell people of the overall benefit to the country. I live in a mostly red area and it's amazing how many people are just too pigheaded to see how things could be improved if they'd just stop voting against themselves. But, when it actually becomes a problem for them DIRECTLY (family, friend or self) then all of a sudden they come around- though not always. They've had "socialism is the worst thing ever!" pushed on them every day for decades. It's brainwashing. And those that do it are only worried about profits. They rarely have to worry about health care, because thanks to cushy jobs and , oh look Government paid for health care. It's frustrating trying to change people's minds on such issues.

m2crows avatar
Mike Crow
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

American healthcare insurance system only wants to make profit. That is it. And they brainwash the American people to believe any other way (like the NHS) is evil, wrong or not effective.

malagotelli avatar
Eslamala
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good thing this came from an american, so the bütthurt idiots can't cry xenophobia like they do whenever something reminds them of how shïtty their country is. And yes, their healthcare system is worse than in many third world countries.

spazmops19 avatar
Logic and Reason
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I knew you’d have something xenophobic to say. It’s like bored panda bingo at this point.

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itzel-ocampo avatar
Izzy_
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's ridiculous! I just got a job and was on government aid before with free basic healthcare. Now I have to pay $400 a month for mandatory health care , because I make "too much" for free healthcare....

elizabeth_foga avatar
Bettie-Jean Neal
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm 50 and at 45 was diagnosed with end stage renal failure (high BP) and was put on dialysis. My insurance is billed over $1MM/year for my dialysis treatments (4 hours, 3 times/week). At least now I know what I'm worth.

idraaxpoission avatar
idraax poission
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope there'll be international pressure to fix the US healthcare system, because internal pressure does not seem to be working.

juliannehannes avatar
Julianne Hannes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sutter Health is to blame, they drove the prices up and turned healthcare into profit. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-sutter-health-hospital-chain-high-prices-lawsuit-60-minutes-2020-12-13/

vonkrawall avatar
von Krawall
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is heartbreaking! In 2017 my father and my mother had cancer. My father had chemo, antibody theraphy and an operation. My mother had a full mastectomy and got 'new" breasts (that look great). Both went to a rehabilitation facility. We live in germany and didn't pay one Euro for all of that.

sofacushionfort avatar
sofacushionfort
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why no public demand for nationalized system? Because it’s the USA, you know it’s about race. As if the ants and the termites are too busy fighting each other, the house will stay sound.

paigeroc2 avatar
PR
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is really terrible if all of it is true. However in the USA, only the person who assumes debt is responsible not their relatives.

beadideal avatar
Dee Puharic
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The problem is not just in the US. Canada has allowed insurance companies to use the money customers have to pay to lobby the governments to water down coverage. You cannot get life insurance (or unreasonably high premiums) if you had cancer, even years ago. If you are in a car accident and develop cancer later, like I did, the insurance companies will not pay you. I was with Intact Insurance and was at a red light with my grown daughter when someone rammed my car full speed from behind and drove off. Hit and run. Neither my insurance company nor Desjardins Insurance, the company representing the owner's car would pay either of us because we both developed cancer afterwards.

markharrison04 avatar
mark
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in the UK. I had a brain tumour (benign) in 2014. I had a 10 hour surgery and over the last 6 years or so, had 17 MRIs plus a monthly appointment with a psychiatrist for the first 6 months. I had my operation within 3 months of being diagnosed. The NHS isn't perfect but it is 1m % better than what the US system offers. I had nothing to pay at the time or afterwards as tax is taken from my monthly salary which is very, very affordable. I know this because I am from Austin, Texas and married my English wife in 1998 and moved here. I love my home country still but the one thing we really have got wrong is healthcare.

aragorn_elessar4 avatar
Derek Clark
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom has cancer, she's being treated at a well known cancer hospital in Amsterdam. She's had chemo and radiation 25 times, many scans, MRI's and other tests. The cost? 385 Euros a year plus 110 euros a month of healthcare insurance like everyone in the Netherlands.

sanhayeob avatar
Diphylleia Grayi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother was diagnosed with thyroid and neck cancer at 47. Although my dad extended to her the health system he had since he started to work. They encounter that they had only head and neck surgeon so they ask my parents to wait at least one year to begin my mother's treatment. Thanks Jehovah my dad put pressure with complaints to the proper people that can put pressure into the directives. So one year in the waiting list became one month and the doctors could do the year treatment my mom needed. So sad people work since adolescence as my parents did. Do pay as everyone for they health care and can't get the help they need in case like these. I would not wish that even to my worst enemy. Even is is subsidized(?) Every living being have rights. To be well, to have access to water, education. 🤦

sanhayeob avatar
Diphylleia Grayi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So sorry for the lost of beloved ones. They do everyday their best to life an honest life and one day they have to face difficult things like this and the one that really can help them don't. I know we are going to pay for our wrong doings sooner or later. How many innocents have succumbed with heartless people?

mros avatar
M Rosa
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

American health care is absolute garbage. Some Americans don't care bc they don't use or need it (yet). Many Americans want an overhaul. Other Americans see no issues with is /or don't want it changed- bc they're the ones that are making money from it. These are the Americans that are the problem, why serious changes are a mother****er to accomplish. Tl:dr American Health Care is the way its is simply because of MONEY. The people who are clawing in the revenue $$$, cherish MONEY over human lives. Period.

svfcottage avatar
Connie May
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

recently I was diagnosed with melanoma, had an emergency surgery and then another. Thankfully I had (through The Affordable Care Act) insurance that did cover the 2 surgeries because the surgeon was in their network. Only due to Joe Biden getting elected ( thank you to everyone who voted for him, you are why I am feeling hopeful now) I was able to change my plan to one that had Mayo in network and so I am now able to get the care I need affordably. All that being said, on a fb group for melanoma cancer patients they are still spinning the lies to Europeans and others who have low cost healthcare that ANYone can get medical care here in the states, they cant be turned away from Emergency rooms, etc...they can pay over time and more. Same people who's insurance are paying $50,000.00- $100, 000.00 a month for cancer care. They are more than willing to throw other people, suffering more than they are, under the bus. its utterly pathetic.

dc1 avatar
DC
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Healthcare is a human right - end of! Seriously, if the US want to stay in the thing called first-world, they sure have a lot of issue that need to be adressed - one is overly powerful companies, another one and the most important IMO is the lack of a functional healthcare system. But, you know, the MuRrIcAn model of what defines freedom and what doesn't, for whatever reason, even includes the lack thereof as crucial. You're not free if you cannot die because you are too poor - or because you are not rich enough (the same, but worse). Damned, folks over there, get that sorted out. Do yourselves this favour and develop a proper healthcare system that safes hardworking people from suffering through this atrocity. If a relative is terminally ill, the relative herself/himself is the only worry you should have, ... getting another burden on your shoulders is neither helping, nor justifiable in a country that rich. It's a crime.

annarush avatar
Anna Rush
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Australia and both my parents have had cancer. Everything has been covered and the only cost has been some medications at about $6 per refill. Oh and I guess fuel/parking. Half my family would probably be dead if we lived in the US.

kathinka avatar
Katinka Min
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm really sorry for people who have to live in shithole countries.

stancheva_vihra avatar
Vihra Stancheva
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't even imagine that. My son when 3 stayed at the hospital for two weeks. We paid nothing. Needed some medication after that. Paid nothing. When we needed to go in the hospital saw that one of my papers was expired and they just told me to go renew it and they will put it in their system later. If they wanted they could easily charge me. They didn't. Ah, also no one blames the Americans, not the people. We do realize it is the government and the insurance companies. Still it shocks me every time I read a story like this one.

llwalker-rn avatar
Lauren W.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom has moderately advanced Lewy Body Dementia. She's unable to walk and requires total care from me and my brother, who is autistic. There are no palliative care services in the area to help. Medicare pays for the bed, but little else, so there's a lot of out-of-pocket expenses. She's had to stop taking a drug that helped one of her symptoms because, even with part D, the cost is too high and premiums keep rising. She has little savings and no retirement. She was still working full time, living paycheck to paycheck prior to the onset of her disease. My savings are gone and I can't work because I'm with her 24/7. We live on my brother's tiny wages and her modest SocSec. That puts us barely above the threshold to qualify for gov. help. Nursing home is not an option. The state would liquidate her assets to pay for her care and my brother and I would be left broke and homeless. There's no other family to help. I'm honestly really scared. I don't know what's going to happen to us.

segurohdes avatar
Segu Rohdes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

México's president andres manuel lopez, cancelled the state sponsored free quimios and drugs for all children with cancer.According to lopez, there was corruption in the money of the treatments. Not an even legal pursuit or case about that had been disclosed, if even exists.

clarsax7 avatar
DelvianBlue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A few years back, I caught strep throat from one of my students. I knew it was strep throat because half the school had it and I'm susceptible. I get it almost every year. I wasn't allowed antibiotics unless I got a throat swab. So I got the swab, it came back positive like I knew it would, and the doctor came in and talked about it for 15 seconds, then gave me a prescriptions for the antibiotics I would need. I later found out my insurance decided not to cover it and I was charged $2000 dollars. For a throat swab! I didn't even want the swab because I knew what I had. I can't imagine what a more serious illness or more complex test would cost me. I don't know how anyone can afford it.

saicohipe avatar
Saico Hipe
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As someone without a high paying job, or savings, or rich relatives, I know that if I ever become chronically ill that I will become homeless and die very quickly. It is something constantly on the minds of millions of people in the US. Many of us are no more than a few weeks' lost income away from being completely destitute. But yeah, explain to me again how this is the greatest country on earth. 🙄

infectedvoice avatar
InfectedVoice
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whoever saying the NHS isn't fantastic under the post can just eff off really, the NHS is wonderful and we are lucky to have it. As for this post, it's an absolute disgrace and I am very sad for her and her family, how cruel.

ivyruonakoski avatar
Ivy Ruonakoski
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had cancer in 2018. Months of chemo and four surgeries later I've been in remission since November 2018. I think I paid about 600€ in total (including 7 full days in hospital), and I've had bi-annual check-ups since, CT's etc. 600€. That's the annual cap. I was also on sick leave for approx. 10 weeks total, all fully paid. America is weird.

dandegnan avatar
ejf-sanderson avatar
ejfs
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Side question: what happens in USA if you don't / can't pay your medical bills? What happens to you and your family?

ana_bawn avatar
Anastaysa Asyatsana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Often, the financial institutions will take liens against your paychecks, withhold your tax returns, destroy your credit and force you to file for bankruptcy.

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The guy is lucky he didn't have to pay for a substitute.... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48231712

shybajw avatar
Red Ruffensor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The American health care system is nothing short of bizarre. You, as a nation, should be ashamed of yourselves.

lanicheck avatar
• Lemønchu •
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You think we like this system? No, and yes, I am ashamed, I think it's so sad that when free health care is mentioned here, it's so alien to us. How amazed we are, and how rare it is.

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deetag123 avatar
Dee Tag
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Obama tried and he got vilified for it. Americans are easily controlled by propaganda and it divides them. They refuse to think as one united group of people with liberty and justice for all.

michel_2 avatar
Marcellus the Third
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah, good ol' Dickensian US of A. Because all the others are commie atheists.

alt3travel avatar
Mike Ieva
Community Member
2 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

But... Biden won!! How is that possible???

viviane_katz avatar
janetclarke avatar
Hiker Chick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of us Americans would like to fix it, but politicians are owned by the insurance corporations. People need to stop blaming regular people about this problem. The decision-makers are voted in by the minority and the system is stacked against us. As long as political lobbying is still allowed, we are stuck, and the politicians who are getting rich don't care two cents about us (literally).

viviane_katz avatar
Viviane
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

From 2020 "63% of U.S. adults say the government has the responsibility to provide health care coverage for all" However, there is a gap between Republicans and Democrats: "Among Republicans and Republican leaners, a 66% majority says the government does not have the responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage". - https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/09/29/increasing-share-of-americans-favor-a-single-government-program-to-provide-health-care-coverage/

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sylwia-ania-janiak avatar
Esca Sav
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My pops was diagnosed with gastric cancer in August 2019. 75% of his stomach was covered with a tumor. BECAUSE he was over 65 years old, he qualified for Medicare which he had as a secondary insurance since he could receive my mom's insurance as his primary. The only reason we didn't have to pay a dime is because of having two insurances. If he was younger than 65, we would've been just as f*cked as this woman right here. I don't even want to imagine what the bill would have been for a total gastrectomy. Taking my mom as an example, she is younger than 65. Last May, she had emergency surgery done on her spine and while she was put under, they let another doctor into the room, without her knowledge, that wasn't covered by her insurance. The day after my dad's funeral, several months later, we received a $96k bill. This entire country is a joke.

jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's insane, just because they let another doctor in, you have to pay $96k! I hope you are fighting that. I suppose telling the insurance company to bill whoever let the doctor into the room is futile as your mother didn't consent to it? I've seen similar stories to this: Someone got a bill for about $500 as an out of network doctor glanced over the medical notes while passing the doctor taking care of them in a hospital corridor.

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alex_davis_uwe avatar
Alexandra Davis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm chronically ill and have spent half of the last 6 years in hospital, am on 22 medications a day and am under 7 consultants. I thank my lucky stars every day that I live in England and have the NHS. If I lived in America I think the financial pressure of living with chronic conditions would lead me to suicide. I don't know what else I would do there and how people cope? I don't understand why some Americans still think is countries with healthcare like the NHS are the silly ones and their method is the best? People shouldn't have to be torn between having pain meds and leaving their family in awful medical debt or suffering awfully whilst dying. I just can't comprehend it.

eilerch2 avatar
Chenandoa
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

22 meds? Oh my...my mom hates her 12 (hard to swallow all). I hope you can find an effective and (fairly) simple treatment plan! Many chronically ill patients in the US go undiagnosed/unhelped/unheard for YEARS (often up to a decade). For instance, fibromyalgia usually takes 5 or more years for a diagnosis, but only 6 months of symptoms are needed to be diagnosed! Greedy docs dont care about curing (and often say you are a hypochondriac)

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seidwolf avatar
SeidWolf
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its not just insane from a non resident perspective - its insane, cruelly abusive, and dehumanizing to we living here...

demi_zwaan avatar
Demi Zwaan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How can medical debt be passed down? I'm not paying for someone else's debt. That would be completely unheard of in first world countries. So weird.

m2crows avatar
Mike Crow
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s all about making money to them and a little thing like death will not stop them from collecting it

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wookiee74 avatar
Chewie Baron
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in the UK, and I have HIV, have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, depression, anxiety, PTSD amongst other trivial things. I get medication for everything, and it's all free. I do not have to pay for anything. If I was in the US I would probably have been dead 20 years ago.

paigeroc2 avatar
PR
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

4.7 million UK citizens are currently waiting for surgeries. How great a system do you have?

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jencook avatar
JennyLaRue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The US medical system is so flawed. There are so many countries that have a system where you pay for your services, rather than a centralised healthcare system, and yet those countries don't have these stories of astronomical costs. It's immoral that healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies can fix their own prices, which are completely disproportionate to the level of actual value provided. They're holding people's health to ransom.

freyathewanderer_1 avatar
Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The U.S. health "care" system isn't flawed - it's hopelessly f###ed up. But good luck making even the tiniest reasonable change! There are so many things wrong with the USA that only a serious radical revolution - which, sadly, will almost certainly include blood literally in the streets (and I know what "literally" means!) - can set us right.

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Phendrena
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was going to go on some rant about how the american healthcare system is just an utter shambles, but I decided that it wasn't worth it, as it has been said many many times before. It IS a crap poor system, you know it, I know it, your government knows it, your healthcare professionals know it and the greedy insurance and pharma companies know it.

julie_rose_translator avatar
Julie C Rose
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. It's no good telling non-Americans how "insane" it is; we're not the ones who vote in US elections.

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bigandbaguy avatar
Big
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This sounds crazy to Americans as well. Unfortunately, there is little that our population can do about our healthcare system. This is a government issue, and they don’t seem to be doing anything about it.

christinaschulte avatar
Christina Schulte
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A standard of care should not be outside of someone's means. It's so greedy and cruel. I am so angered by this.

freyathewanderer_1 avatar
Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anybody who thinks the U.S. has a great health care system needs to watch Michael Moore's documentary "Sicko." That was a real eye-opener for me. I used to think we did have a good system, but when I heard the horror stories about parents moving in with adult children because that was the only way they could afford their medications, the obscenely vile tricks that insurance companies use to d*ck around customers - before it was over, I was "woke" and seriously p*ssed off.

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Pigpigpig
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My uncle died because he couldn't afford the medication for his heart condition. He never asked for help so we didn't know he was going with out. The American health care system is disgraceful.

leodomitrix avatar
Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dad's insurance 30 years ago paid everything! Until we reached the limit. Then we were left with my dad's corpse, his funeral, and oh, yeah, $300K-plus in medical debt ------ adjust for inflation, btw, and that's about $550K in 2021. .... Fast forward, HMOs are the norm (they do not maintain health), and my hubby can't get a CT for cancer b/c the HMO doesn't deem it necessary. Yep, we have no debts ---- and no diagnostic test for cancer.

jiska12 avatar
Jiska Veldhuizen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This breaks my heart. Our Dutch healthcare system is not perfect but its such a relieve to know you''ll never pay more then 385 euros per year on healthcare if you end up in the hospital. I can't believe so many Americans are still against universal healthcare.

lyndsayn17 avatar
Winx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom's cousin had four children who were born with a rare bone disease that did not manifest itself until the oldest was about 7. All four children had to undergo bone marrow transplants, and even after many surgeries all of them died. Their family is now millions, I repeat MILLIONS, of dollars in medical debt. They received some charitable help, but they will live the rest of their lives paying a debt they cant possibly ever pay off, and every time they make a payment they get to be reminded of their babies that they lost. Someone tell me why we need to keep the system the way it is.

ana_bawn avatar
Anastaysa Asyatsana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would also like to add that if you are in the US, you should contest EVERY SINGLE HOSPITAL BILL with their financial department. Often you can get them largely reduced, but they don't tell anyone that because they want your money.

juliannehannes avatar
hmoore avatar
H Moore
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not cancer but husband just died, pneumonia with emphysema. Talked him into staying in rather than at home. It's not perfect, initial ignoring of wishes but last few days they did, on oxy mix, morphine and sedative. No cost at all, not even ambulance, or morgue stay until I could collect him. America is mad, worst country ever, no leave, no medical, guns, why anyone would go there beats me. Mexico? They're going the wrong way.....

victoriapitt avatar
Victoria Pitt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To the comment above that says a lot of Americans think a universal health care system is inferior... That's not really true. Most of the people against it are either not fully educated on what it means (largely because of false rumors) or more commonly, they are profiting off of the current system and using their power and influence to prevent it from changing. WE WOULD LOVE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE.

deepond avatar
Dee Pond
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Healthcare in the US is terrible. *Everyone* has a story about how someone close to them got screwed over and left with huge bills for something that is routine in every other developed country. Also, I really dislike the string of screen shots post format. Link the video and give me a script. Don't make me look at a bunch of awkward facial expressions while I'm trying to read....

jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For my own self, I couldn't get health insurance for seven years, during which time I became extremely ill. When I did qualify for medicaid (think, poor person's medical insurance provided by the state) I often could not get treatment because there were no medical providers willing to accept that insurance, because it's not very profitable. Since I moved back to the UK to care for my sick mother (see my other post) I have now been properly treated and diagnosed for issues that had been ignored by my US healthcare providers for YEARS. I have suffered so much and so unnecessarily, because I was unable to be a profitable patient

jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother got ovarian cancer AND then bowel cancer, and was paralyzed from the waist and bed-ridden for nearly nine months. She was also diagnosed with macular degeneration. If we had still been living in America, she would be blind and then dead. As it is, she had just moved back to the UK (our native country), and has had the following treatments: rounds of chemo, three times daily carers to help her with personal hygiene while paralyzed, physio rehab to learn to walk again, more chemo, pain meds, hospital stays, specialist visits, eye injections that keep the macular degeneration at bay, consultations with more specialists, regular check ups with two oncologists, massive surgery, hysterectomy, bowel resection, colostomy, more hospital stay, follow up care, removal of spleen, all kinds of medication, and all of that for the last four years now. We have never paid a single penny for any of it (except for parking at hospitals/clinics). She is doing great.

biljanamalesevic avatar
Biljana Malesevic
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not just USA. In my country, public healthcare is considered free and of good quality. In theory. In January, my mother had stroke, and she survived but was mostly paralyzed and in bad mental and physical state. So when doctors recommended state rehabilitation center and spa in nature with great air and all the help, naively we thought that could be the best solution. It looked great on photos but nothing in life is free. Sometimes, when you learn it, it's too late. They didn't let us visit, ever, because of epidemics, they said she is "unconscious" most of the time and can't speak so phone makes no sense. We believed them. 10 weeks later during which many patients we know died there, she was released, and she was dying. I was shocked to see what they did to her. She lost over half her weight and was living skeleton, she was starved, dehydrated, covered in terrible bruises and septic deadly bed sores, and she was fully aware and conscious and obviously tortured. She died today.

fonziebulldog avatar
Fonzie Bulldog
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, a working friends daughter dated a american male and when she one day was over from Sweden to that america she one day heard his mother asking her son what she wanted in america and if she was after their social welfare. Her son explained that she was all wrong and that they even had free healthcare for all in Sweden no matter the disease. Impossible she replied. Thats what people know of each other countries these Internet days.Nearly nothing, sadly.

jamyirogers1990 avatar
Duchess Raven Waves
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My father in law was given 6 weeks to live 5 days ago. He had been cancer free a little less than a year ago after he had been diagnossd with stage 4 prostate cancer. He developed a kidney issue and needed a stent put in. The surgeon f****d up bad. And although there is no way for ME to prove that this caused unseen cancer cells to go haywire and grow this is still what I believe happened. He had been in some DEEP denial as just 10 days ago he was working CONSTRUCTION with 2 of his 5 sons and his son in law. We have a video of him playing with them was "running them over" with a lift while they were on the other. 10 days ago. And 6 days ago the doctor had to drain 5 liters of fluid every 2 hours off of his abdomen. This family will crumble and it will be my husband they look to for help. He cannot do this. I am scared for him.

mdulbergsdesigns avatar
Explicitly sick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My friend was dying of lung cancer she was loosing her home because of medical debt. We sat outside in the sun on one of her last weekends of clarity. It is impossible to be self employed now. Healthcare is too expensive to but insurance and the cost with insurance I could fly to England pay out of pocket sightsee for a month and come home and pay less than my deductible

juliannehannes avatar
Julianne Hannes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can thank Sutter Health for driving the prices up 200% for over 20years. Look it up, they had a 60min segment on how Sutter Health ruined American Health System and made it for profit. Look it up now. Get mad, attack Sutter Health with all your might, they deserve it and you will know exactly why. We need to band together and go after Sutter Health and make them pay. Death to Sutter Health!

ana_bawn avatar
Anastaysa Asyatsana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The American healthcare system is why my fiance and I can't get married. Due to how much he makes vs how much I make, if we were to marry I would lose my Medicaid (free healthcare for those below the poverty line) and since I'm immunocompromised, we can't risk it.

perfumistaperfumista avatar
Perfumista Perfumista
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why I pay for both Cancer and Critical Illness insurance on top of my health insurance. It is galling that this is actually necessary.

jaysonhammer avatar
TrickQuestion
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's so much "why should i have to take care of other people" bullcrap. I hear it about public schools, healthcare, infrastructure and other things whenever i try and tell people of the overall benefit to the country. I live in a mostly red area and it's amazing how many people are just too pigheaded to see how things could be improved if they'd just stop voting against themselves. But, when it actually becomes a problem for them DIRECTLY (family, friend or self) then all of a sudden they come around- though not always. They've had "socialism is the worst thing ever!" pushed on them every day for decades. It's brainwashing. And those that do it are only worried about profits. They rarely have to worry about health care, because thanks to cushy jobs and , oh look Government paid for health care. It's frustrating trying to change people's minds on such issues.

m2crows avatar
Mike Crow
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

American healthcare insurance system only wants to make profit. That is it. And they brainwash the American people to believe any other way (like the NHS) is evil, wrong or not effective.

malagotelli avatar
Eslamala
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good thing this came from an american, so the bütthurt idiots can't cry xenophobia like they do whenever something reminds them of how shïtty their country is. And yes, their healthcare system is worse than in many third world countries.

spazmops19 avatar
Logic and Reason
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I knew you’d have something xenophobic to say. It’s like bored panda bingo at this point.

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itzel-ocampo avatar
Izzy_
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's ridiculous! I just got a job and was on government aid before with free basic healthcare. Now I have to pay $400 a month for mandatory health care , because I make "too much" for free healthcare....

elizabeth_foga avatar
Bettie-Jean Neal
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm 50 and at 45 was diagnosed with end stage renal failure (high BP) and was put on dialysis. My insurance is billed over $1MM/year for my dialysis treatments (4 hours, 3 times/week). At least now I know what I'm worth.

idraaxpoission avatar
idraax poission
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope there'll be international pressure to fix the US healthcare system, because internal pressure does not seem to be working.

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Julianne Hannes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sutter Health is to blame, they drove the prices up and turned healthcare into profit. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-sutter-health-hospital-chain-high-prices-lawsuit-60-minutes-2020-12-13/

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von Krawall
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is heartbreaking! In 2017 my father and my mother had cancer. My father had chemo, antibody theraphy and an operation. My mother had a full mastectomy and got 'new" breasts (that look great). Both went to a rehabilitation facility. We live in germany and didn't pay one Euro for all of that.

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sofacushionfort
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why no public demand for nationalized system? Because it’s the USA, you know it’s about race. As if the ants and the termites are too busy fighting each other, the house will stay sound.

paigeroc2 avatar
PR
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is really terrible if all of it is true. However in the USA, only the person who assumes debt is responsible not their relatives.

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Dee Puharic
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The problem is not just in the US. Canada has allowed insurance companies to use the money customers have to pay to lobby the governments to water down coverage. You cannot get life insurance (or unreasonably high premiums) if you had cancer, even years ago. If you are in a car accident and develop cancer later, like I did, the insurance companies will not pay you. I was with Intact Insurance and was at a red light with my grown daughter when someone rammed my car full speed from behind and drove off. Hit and run. Neither my insurance company nor Desjardins Insurance, the company representing the owner's car would pay either of us because we both developed cancer afterwards.

markharrison04 avatar
mark
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in the UK. I had a brain tumour (benign) in 2014. I had a 10 hour surgery and over the last 6 years or so, had 17 MRIs plus a monthly appointment with a psychiatrist for the first 6 months. I had my operation within 3 months of being diagnosed. The NHS isn't perfect but it is 1m % better than what the US system offers. I had nothing to pay at the time or afterwards as tax is taken from my monthly salary which is very, very affordable. I know this because I am from Austin, Texas and married my English wife in 1998 and moved here. I love my home country still but the one thing we really have got wrong is healthcare.

aragorn_elessar4 avatar
Derek Clark
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom has cancer, she's being treated at a well known cancer hospital in Amsterdam. She's had chemo and radiation 25 times, many scans, MRI's and other tests. The cost? 385 Euros a year plus 110 euros a month of healthcare insurance like everyone in the Netherlands.

sanhayeob avatar
Diphylleia Grayi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother was diagnosed with thyroid and neck cancer at 47. Although my dad extended to her the health system he had since he started to work. They encounter that they had only head and neck surgeon so they ask my parents to wait at least one year to begin my mother's treatment. Thanks Jehovah my dad put pressure with complaints to the proper people that can put pressure into the directives. So one year in the waiting list became one month and the doctors could do the year treatment my mom needed. So sad people work since adolescence as my parents did. Do pay as everyone for they health care and can't get the help they need in case like these. I would not wish that even to my worst enemy. Even is is subsidized(?) Every living being have rights. To be well, to have access to water, education. 🤦

sanhayeob avatar
Diphylleia Grayi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So sorry for the lost of beloved ones. They do everyday their best to life an honest life and one day they have to face difficult things like this and the one that really can help them don't. I know we are going to pay for our wrong doings sooner or later. How many innocents have succumbed with heartless people?

mros avatar
M Rosa
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

American health care is absolute garbage. Some Americans don't care bc they don't use or need it (yet). Many Americans want an overhaul. Other Americans see no issues with is /or don't want it changed- bc they're the ones that are making money from it. These are the Americans that are the problem, why serious changes are a mother****er to accomplish. Tl:dr American Health Care is the way its is simply because of MONEY. The people who are clawing in the revenue $$$, cherish MONEY over human lives. Period.

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Connie May
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

recently I was diagnosed with melanoma, had an emergency surgery and then another. Thankfully I had (through The Affordable Care Act) insurance that did cover the 2 surgeries because the surgeon was in their network. Only due to Joe Biden getting elected ( thank you to everyone who voted for him, you are why I am feeling hopeful now) I was able to change my plan to one that had Mayo in network and so I am now able to get the care I need affordably. All that being said, on a fb group for melanoma cancer patients they are still spinning the lies to Europeans and others who have low cost healthcare that ANYone can get medical care here in the states, they cant be turned away from Emergency rooms, etc...they can pay over time and more. Same people who's insurance are paying $50,000.00- $100, 000.00 a month for cancer care. They are more than willing to throw other people, suffering more than they are, under the bus. its utterly pathetic.

dc1 avatar
DC
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Healthcare is a human right - end of! Seriously, if the US want to stay in the thing called first-world, they sure have a lot of issue that need to be adressed - one is overly powerful companies, another one and the most important IMO is the lack of a functional healthcare system. But, you know, the MuRrIcAn model of what defines freedom and what doesn't, for whatever reason, even includes the lack thereof as crucial. You're not free if you cannot die because you are too poor - or because you are not rich enough (the same, but worse). Damned, folks over there, get that sorted out. Do yourselves this favour and develop a proper healthcare system that safes hardworking people from suffering through this atrocity. If a relative is terminally ill, the relative herself/himself is the only worry you should have, ... getting another burden on your shoulders is neither helping, nor justifiable in a country that rich. It's a crime.

annarush avatar
Anna Rush
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Australia and both my parents have had cancer. Everything has been covered and the only cost has been some medications at about $6 per refill. Oh and I guess fuel/parking. Half my family would probably be dead if we lived in the US.

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Katinka Min
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm really sorry for people who have to live in shithole countries.

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Vihra Stancheva
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't even imagine that. My son when 3 stayed at the hospital for two weeks. We paid nothing. Needed some medication after that. Paid nothing. When we needed to go in the hospital saw that one of my papers was expired and they just told me to go renew it and they will put it in their system later. If they wanted they could easily charge me. They didn't. Ah, also no one blames the Americans, not the people. We do realize it is the government and the insurance companies. Still it shocks me every time I read a story like this one.

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Lauren W.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom has moderately advanced Lewy Body Dementia. She's unable to walk and requires total care from me and my brother, who is autistic. There are no palliative care services in the area to help. Medicare pays for the bed, but little else, so there's a lot of out-of-pocket expenses. She's had to stop taking a drug that helped one of her symptoms because, even with part D, the cost is too high and premiums keep rising. She has little savings and no retirement. She was still working full time, living paycheck to paycheck prior to the onset of her disease. My savings are gone and I can't work because I'm with her 24/7. We live on my brother's tiny wages and her modest SocSec. That puts us barely above the threshold to qualify for gov. help. Nursing home is not an option. The state would liquidate her assets to pay for her care and my brother and I would be left broke and homeless. There's no other family to help. I'm honestly really scared. I don't know what's going to happen to us.

segurohdes avatar
Segu Rohdes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

México's president andres manuel lopez, cancelled the state sponsored free quimios and drugs for all children with cancer.According to lopez, there was corruption in the money of the treatments. Not an even legal pursuit or case about that had been disclosed, if even exists.

clarsax7 avatar
DelvianBlue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A few years back, I caught strep throat from one of my students. I knew it was strep throat because half the school had it and I'm susceptible. I get it almost every year. I wasn't allowed antibiotics unless I got a throat swab. So I got the swab, it came back positive like I knew it would, and the doctor came in and talked about it for 15 seconds, then gave me a prescriptions for the antibiotics I would need. I later found out my insurance decided not to cover it and I was charged $2000 dollars. For a throat swab! I didn't even want the swab because I knew what I had. I can't imagine what a more serious illness or more complex test would cost me. I don't know how anyone can afford it.

saicohipe avatar
Saico Hipe
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As someone without a high paying job, or savings, or rich relatives, I know that if I ever become chronically ill that I will become homeless and die very quickly. It is something constantly on the minds of millions of people in the US. Many of us are no more than a few weeks' lost income away from being completely destitute. But yeah, explain to me again how this is the greatest country on earth. 🙄

infectedvoice avatar
InfectedVoice
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whoever saying the NHS isn't fantastic under the post can just eff off really, the NHS is wonderful and we are lucky to have it. As for this post, it's an absolute disgrace and I am very sad for her and her family, how cruel.

ivyruonakoski avatar
Ivy Ruonakoski
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had cancer in 2018. Months of chemo and four surgeries later I've been in remission since November 2018. I think I paid about 600€ in total (including 7 full days in hospital), and I've had bi-annual check-ups since, CT's etc. 600€. That's the annual cap. I was also on sick leave for approx. 10 weeks total, all fully paid. America is weird.

dandegnan avatar
ejf-sanderson avatar
ejfs
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Side question: what happens in USA if you don't / can't pay your medical bills? What happens to you and your family?

ana_bawn avatar
Anastaysa Asyatsana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Often, the financial institutions will take liens against your paychecks, withhold your tax returns, destroy your credit and force you to file for bankruptcy.

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The guy is lucky he didn't have to pay for a substitute.... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48231712

shybajw avatar
Red Ruffensor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The American health care system is nothing short of bizarre. You, as a nation, should be ashamed of yourselves.

lanicheck avatar
• Lemønchu •
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You think we like this system? No, and yes, I am ashamed, I think it's so sad that when free health care is mentioned here, it's so alien to us. How amazed we are, and how rare it is.

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deetag123 avatar
Dee Tag
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Obama tried and he got vilified for it. Americans are easily controlled by propaganda and it divides them. They refuse to think as one united group of people with liberty and justice for all.

michel_2 avatar
Marcellus the Third
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah, good ol' Dickensian US of A. Because all the others are commie atheists.

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Mike Ieva
Community Member
2 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

But... Biden won!! How is that possible???

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