American reacts to Why Medical Bills In The US Are So Expensive
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- čas přidán 15. 04. 2024
- Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to Why Medical Bills In The US Are So Expensive
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The US doesn’t have a ‘Health Care System’ it has a ‘Health Care Business’.
The ‘Business’ is working perfectly as planned.
I call it a "Health Don't Care System".
Health Provider, not Health*care*
It is a sickness business. They have a clear vested interest in keeping people sick. The USA is not run for the benefit of the people who live in it. It is run for corporations, to maximise profits.
@@walkir2662 I still prefer mine.
Best county in the world and the home of the free ask MAGA.
I am sorry to say, but the USA is broken. I was considering visiting from Australia, but will choose somewhere else that doesn't have so many issues with basic human rights such as medical costs and personal safety.
What about their employment laws. Low income having to rely on tips, no paid holidays/maternity leave/sick leave/proper definition of full time & part time etc. Even 3rd world countries have better provisions!
Other countries: Work to live.
America: Live to work.
Yes. America is no longer the beacon of greatness that it was in its heyday. The irony of it all is that the people who claim to want to “make it great again” are doing the exact opposite of what needs to happen in order to achieve that…
@@simbob26Very very true. As so often with the conservative and right parties and people. Similar with the current Italian government or the Afd in Germany etc.
"But it's the best country in the world" 90% of the population will scream at anyone who says differently.
I have to agree. Have friends in the US who want me to visit and to be honest too afraid to. I can live without visiting the US.
Having medical bills for grown adults is bad enough but having medical bills for children is just outrageous!
That's pro life I guess.
May I offer an example of Australian healthcare.
In 2011, my soulmate became very ill. She was assessed by the local doctor in our remote country town (free). She was transferred to the local hospital and assessed (free). She was then flown to the closest city for a CT scan (free). After the results, she was flown to the next city with an oncology department (free). That hospital found she had an advanced brain cancer and was immediately scheduled for surgery to remove a cancerous lump in her brain the size of an orange (free).
I was flown to that hospital (free). I was given free accomodation for a week.
When she was recovering, we were flown back to the country town (free).
The operation was successful, but due to the cancer being aggressive, the tumour grew back. We went back to our hometown to be with her kids, and eventually the tumour killed her. Her time in palliative care at the local hospital was free. The only time it cost us money from our pockets was when she passed away and we had to pay for the funeral service.
That is healthcare in Australia.
First I am very sorry to hear that. I can't even begin to imagine what you must've been through. As a Dutchman I am completely behind your system of healthcare and I'd be a happy tax payer if I'd live in your country, knowing that if something would happen to me I would be well cared for. This is definitely not the case with the US. I mean, besides the military, what do they do with all the tax money over there anyway? 🤷🏼
@@moladiver6817 I know. It's crazy over there. War is more important than their citizens' health! @moladiver6817
To charge someone to eventually die would be just about as morally bankrupt as you can get. I too am glad that I live in the civilised world. Another example would be a friend of mine who was a fit young man but he ended up with pericarditis. He lived and thankfully still does live in a rather remote part of Northern Scotland and the local health services couldn't manage his condition. Within 90 minutes of him calling the non emergency number complaining of breathing issues and a racing pulse he was in a helicopter on his way to Glasgow for emergency treatment. After they fixed him he got a helicopter back north and an ambulance to his front door. That and the ongoing treatment to keep the father of two little girls alive cost nothing.
Our health system is fantastic for urgent health care but so called elective surgery wait lists are getting longer and longer. 😢
Sorry for your loss mate, glad our system gave you the chance to be together for as long as possible and as soul mates, you will be reunited eventually ❤🩹
The fact that the concept of "bankrupty because of medical costs" is unknown in europe tells the story
The base problem is how the USA thinks of health care. They always talk about benefits - Health care is not a benefit - IT IS A HUMAN RIGHT.
I’m German but my wife is American and she got diagnosed with cancer a while ago - back then she was still insured & living in the US and that was my first time of being confronted with these horrendous consequences of a healthcare system that works for profit not for people. We were really lucky and had a lot of support, my wife is cancer-free today and she moved to Germany after treatment was over; if the cancer returned she’s covered by public healthcare - I never felt that much gratitude for something I took for granted.
My 8 year nephew had been diagnosed with a brain tumour had the operation here for free on the NHS and the NHS paid for his treatment in Germany during Covid for free he is cancer free and is playing football.
@@carolinecrollick6305 I’m glad he’s doing well and everything worked out eventually!
@@carolinecrollick6305 why did he get treated in Germany and not the UK?
@@fm-united Because the treatment he required was only available either in Manchester or in Germany but there was no space in Manchester
Here in the UK i have witnessed a similar thing happen with our veterinary services. Forty or so years ago there was no such thing as pet insurance and vets services were quite reasonably priced. Then slowly pet insurance became a thing, the vets started charging accordingly and so started a crazy upward spiral of costs. Currently it's almost unthinkable to own a dog without having it insured as veterinary fees are just astronomical.
We should never let the NHS go the same way.
Indeed. I don't think anyone would argue that we should have an NHS for pets; but I find it remarkable USA does that for people - they are a democracy that does not vote to protect each other. I am right of centre and very pro market, but it does not work in life and death situations as people will pay anything to survive, so negotiating position is total.
Same thing has happened here in Australia, costs more for our pet's health than our own 🤦♀
@@CBX-vp7db the USA were never a democracy.
@@CBX-vp7db
Capitalism is not good for most parts in live if it is not limited and have social aspects.
Why should all pris for rich be the best system?
Why not pros for the smartest or morally best or hard working?
The problem is the ratio of capital to human work rising higher and higher.
Like the income in a year in my job is the same like 20 years ago ( and is like this for most jobs) but the costs rises and rises and the capital return rises and rises.
Capitalsm nowadays is like worn in hell.
Thats a good point. My dog was ill a few years ago and had to spend two months in a animal hospital. i was insured upto 5k but the end bill was 17k, so I had to put 12k towards the costs which cleared out all my savings.
I'm in Scotland and recently been ill, the NHS has provided medicines and a 7 day stay in hospital with specialist care. No cost at source, the NHS is the gift from the British people to the British people, its creaking at the moment but worth continuing to support.
i agree 100% they have saved my life twice now. i would have been financially bankrupt if i was in USA
NHS was instituted by Labour in 1945. Vote Labour!
Within the last 12 months I spent a week in GRI after a rather serious issue. Haggis for breakfast is all I'm saying. Oh, and all the other good stuff like stopping me being dead for nowt.
The thing that seems to work best is NICE negotiate the cost of new drugs with the pharma so the NHS can get them at a fraction of the cost of the US. When I was young all GP's made house calls after their morning surgeries. Why did they stop? The A&E's do that work now and it makes it far more expensive.
@@michalandrejmolnar3715 Actually it was instituted, at least as a Parliamentary white paper, by Dr Henry Willink MP, a Conservative, in 1944. Something of the sort had also been proposed in 1909.
The simple answer is as usual with issues in the US greed, simple unchecked and culturally supported greed.
That is where unregulated capitalism will lead to. Profit is everything, the rest can go to hell. Sad.
Yes, but it is not any one party that is guilty. Wall street is greedy, but their investors are too. Doctors are greedy, but the colleges that put them into hock to become doctors are greedy too. Consumers are greedy as hell because if given the chance they will knock the price down so low that no one up line is happy. Michael Moore tried to very gently address the doctor pay issue in Sicko, and accidentally shot his own cause by showing how crappy the pay is for doctors in France. Of course the health care is cheap, if everyone dials back their expectations then it can be done. You can't do that in America because promises were made and have to be kept.
@@dorisschneider-coutandin9965 That's basically it, there's little to no checks on capitalism in the US with a government that is either weak or doesn't want to regulate the corporations in the country.
It's probably no wonder why the EU is regulating many US big corporations in the EU, because the US isn't doing its job and pulling its corporations into line, corporations in the US almost have a free hand to do whatever they want and that usually goes against the interest of the citizens.
To give you an idea on that, how on earth can an American company that invents a drug, end up selling it 50 times higher price then say they sell the same drug in the EU, simply, because the US government allows it, the EU countries don't, basically, there are a lot of protections in the system for the citizens, whereas in the US, it's a free for all where you are more or less on your own, it's easy to see how that can screw over the people when profit is the only motivator.
Exactly, the extra tests to cover doctors in the event of litigation is another symptom of the same culture. Greedy lawyers promote the concept of litigation to increase their profits.
Not greed, selfish. The culture of the individual, "My rights!" rather than what is best for my community and what my responsibility to it is.
My sister lives in the US she was told she'd need to have part of her bowel removed because there was a possibility that she had precancerous cells even though biopsies showed nothing. She hopped on a plane to the UK paid $200 for a second opinion with a consultant here and he literally laughed out loud and was like What the actual Hell - there's no way we'd operate in the UK for that we'd just monitor yearly - there's not even proof that there's precancerous cells - every cell has the chance of becoming cancerous! - the US are performing major operations to make money when they aren't even needed here also said 80% of the tests she had done weren't required - it's just a money making scam and totally unethical. Thankfully that was 10 years ago and all her annual check ups have showed nothing!
As someone who was watching this video with his leg in a Lazarev cage due to a nasty fracture of the right tibia. I said a big thank you to have been born in the UK. I had an ambulance, operation, X-ray, scan, 3.5 weeks in hospital, all the drugs etc. I needed, excelent care and out patient appointments since with more x-rays. Oh and an ambulance to get me to my appointments. Zero cost to me directly and only complaint was the hospital food, but i'll take that over this circus.
Had a foreign friend on visit (I live in Norway) - and one day woke up with half the face "being limp". Got to the local doctor - could not figure what was wrong and got sent to specialist at the hospital. Turned out it was Bells Palsy. Unfortunately my friend did NOT have a travel insurance and was not covered by the Norwegian health care system.
The first doc was very sorry and had to ask for equivalent of $22,- . The second doctor (the specialist) was even more sorry because my friend had to pay....$160. Also had to go to the pharmacy and buy meds for...$40.
I'm so sorry to hear of the ruination of your friend.
Oh no! They'd have to work an additional 7-8 hours at minimum wage to avoid financial ruin with that earth shattering news.
How ever did they cope?
Just imagine if you left the land of the free and went to one of those socialist European countries, the UK for example,
once there you found the health care was free and you had a shorter working week and you got 5 weeks paid vacation,
which you were required to take and you found you had more freedom than back at home, just imagine, if that were
a real thing!
In the UK, not only did the NHS fix my broken arm for free, the government sent me £4,000 because I was unable to work whilst it healed.
Meanwhile in America
"What do you mean you can't work because of a broken arm? Get your ass into work and start stacking those shelves.... or you'll be fired!"
I wouldve thought it would be your employer that covers that (cos they have to)
@@sunseeker9581 It depends on many factors, sick pay is actually known as "Statutory sick pay" and is actually paid by the government, not your employer because it's a statutory pay for sickness - some jobs don't offer sick pay. My cousin used to work on a fish market, if he didn't work he didn't get paid. If he went sick one day - no pay from his employer. So as a result the government pays SSP (Statutory Sick Pay) it's not a huge amount, usually around £100 or so a week but for most people it's enough to at least help them survive until they get back to work.
The vast majority of jobs (mine included, and EVERY job i've ever had, even when I was an apprentice in 2013 working for £3.20 an hour) will pay you sick pay, so SSP isn't even needed.
But it's there just in case you have the handful of jobs that don't pay it.
@@sunseeker9581 No. if you’re on statutory sick pay ie you’re self employed etc then it’s taxpayer funded. You apply to the DWP for it. Same with maternity allowance if you’re self employed or otherwise not covered for employer maternity
In Sweden children have totally free healthcare and no parent have to be scared of not being able to get treatment of any sort for their children. It also include everything else around a child that it might need such at medication, dentalcare, medical aid such as wheelchair, need of reconstruction at your home for a ramp or a lift and so on. Even nurses that do home visit if the child is really sick and need 24/7 care.
That Ostomy bag is free regardless if being a kid or adult. How they can charge over 1000 dollars for 2.5 days use of bags is crazy. Corruption at it's worse level. How should that kid survive if their parents can not buy them. And it is for life. I can not even begin to understand.
No parent should have to turn to go fund me to save their childredn. It must be a insane stress, which in no shape or form helps the child feeling their parents being scared all the time.
Same in The Netherlands
"We all are communists and pay ridiculous amounts of taxes" - quote from every single Trump supporter in the US..
I am so happy paying my taxes 🇧🇻
@@Helge_Torp So am I, and here we pay an awful lot but no one is afraid to order an ambulance when one is needed or go to the hospital for treatment etc.
Not a communist country but a social country, it works for us.
@@elsotto3314 Sorry, can't hear your communist yapping over the sound of the eagles.
My niece is a consultant orthopedic surgeon having spent time in Aus as part of her training & was recruited to continue specializing in surgery in Seattle & likened the experience to 1st class facilities to a third world culture not based on a patients needs but on the ability to pay. Amazed at the chronic disabilities in elderly individuals where a hip or knee replacement would improve quality of life these people suffer for yrs because of the lack of money to pay. She declined an offer to relocate to the US & returned to the UK & the NHS though financially worse off seeing patients was a greater reward.
In the UK, if you need medical supplies like Ostomy Bags and accessories such as cotton wipes, Adhesive Spray, and bags to put your used Ostomy bags into, they are completely free. So is Insulin as they all are seen as a necessity for a healthy lifestyle.
Plus in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all prescription medications are completely free. In England, I think the maximum someone can be charged per medication is currently £9.65, but there are also wide number of situations that make people eligible for free prescriptions, like being under 16 or over 60, on government benefits or with certain medical conditions like cancer.
Same in Denmark
I am over 6o and thus entitled to free prescriptions in the UK for my asthma, cholesterol, underactive thyroid, skin conditions, and tachycardia. But I was even before that age because an underactive thyroid is a life-threatening condition. I haven't paid for prescriptions since I was in my late 40s. The NHS is far from perfect, with quite long waiting periods just to see your own doctor, but it's a damn sight better than the US system.
I was in Texas once and had a problem with a minor infected injury. The charlatan I saw prescribed an antibiotic cream that cost my insurers a tad over $100. In the UK I could have bought the identical product at any pharmacy without a prescription for £10.
@@fallyoverguy Or a chronic/long term illness, I believe.
I have been battling cancer for eight years, three major operations, one minor, CT/MRI/PET scans..five months in intensive care, two months in physio rehab unit...all ostomy supplies provided, all prescribed medications provided, transport to and from hospital provided...including ferry as I live on an island. Unfortunately, it has spread to my lungs and I have to have more scans and eight sessions of radiotherapy..again on mainland so more transport. Electrically operated hospital bed provided and delivered to my home because of my mobility issues. Also, custom sized walking stick and zimmer frame. All FREE at point of use..I'm in the UK...God Bless the NHS and all those that work in her! 👍 💖
I'm a UK citizen, despite being only 29 I have health issues too.
Chronic (lifelong) migraines for which I am on regular medication for (I get 3 boxes of tablets which last typically 3 months, total cost of a huge £9!!!! - Sarcasm).
Cyst in the spleen diagnosed in 2021.
High blood pressure (runs in the family) - once just sitting down it was 146 over 83
Hayfever
And my chest cavity is slightly deformed since birth, so rather than being curved slightly outwards towards the top, it curves inwards into the middle, only slightly but it's noticeable, it's similar to something called "Pigeon chest", more correctly called "Pectus Excavatum" but not as extreme as that.
In 2021 I had the following
10 GP face to face consultations
6 telephone consultations
5 blood tests - 1 looking for a specific antibody known as an IgE blood test as they believed it was a parasitic infection.
1 Chest X-ray
1 PET CT Scan
1 MRI Scan with contrast dye (which also had it's own blood test prior, to check kidney functions since the dye used is a "metal" compound and if the kidneys aren't functioning correctly they can't use it).
After these scans, I had a further 2 follow up phone calls and a further 1 visit to my local GP. I was signed off work for 3.5 months and yet received my full salary each month, in full and on time. In America i'd have been fired after the first week or two no doubt, 1 month at most.
I am very familiar with the healthcare system as I spend a lot of time in UK hospitals - i'm employed in the UK Emergency services but I don't work for the NHS.
Wishing you will with your ongoing recovery.
Bless you fiestaguy..thank you and strength and joy for a good life to you, we at least always have support here that gives me hope! ..take care 💖✌🇬🇧
I'm Australian and apart from gun violence, the other worry would be if I had to get medical care because I have no insurance. Not such a worry in Australia.
One illness away from being bankrupt now that's scary
One accident.
as a german viewer i'm always so blown away how fucked and overcomplicated the us healthcare system is. i cant even put it into words to form a solid youtube comment about it
Sweden here, I had the appendix removed in open surgery a few years ago. The total cost for absolutely everything and three days in the hospital was 200 SEK, roughly $20. I'm more than happy to pay higher taxes for this and so much more that it brings.
I had an operation in 2004 under our public health system in Australia. The specialist was one of the best in my state. $0 and although I was supposed to stay in the hospital for 5 days, because I had an infant at home, I left, and they had a nurse visit me each day to change the drainage bags.
When I looked what I had and the operation online, an internet which was predominately American at that time, the overwhelming content was for support groups for people who had lost family members to blood poisoning because the operation for it was $10,000 up front and most couldn't afford it, so they died. In addition, the procedure I had was worth 3 times that amount in America up front. The $10K version is considered "unsafe and inappropriate" here. Outdated. In 2004! They still do that in America, but it costs more now.
Sadly, you have a cult of the individual, not of people who care about people. We want people who are 'in need' to be cared for, because it makes our country better.
Yep. The land of the free... so long as you're a millionaire.
That is why they call it" the land of the free and the home of the brave". The rich are free and the poor need to be brave.
Land of the delusional.
Americans say "Land of the free"... I have my own saying...
"Land of the fee".
How shallow and dim-witted do you have to be, to not realise that paying into a NATIONAL multi-payer system means the overall cost to every person is less, because there are more people contributing.
Americans "don't want the government to tell them what to do"... so instead they let an insurance company "tell them what to do" and as a result pay DOUBLE if not TRIPLE each month the amount that a national healthcare system would cost.
Single payer "for profit" systems have CEO's huge 2 million dollar salaries to pay, admin staff, houses to buy, flash cars, dividends for share holders, investments, you name it. All of this is funded by premium payments. If you are so american you think this is better and "cheaper" than paying into a government run system which doesn't have thousands of admin/billing staff, CEO's earning 2 million dollars a year and spending public money buying 5 flash cars and buying their 6th overseas home, then frankly I pity you.
Let's put this into a simple context.
You have a "national" pot of money, each year which for instance has 1 million pounds. Because it is a "national" service, everyone pays into it. Let's make it simple and suppose you also have 1 million people. So each person pays just £1.
Now compare this to a "single payer" system.... they have a pot of money, also 1 million pounds. But due to the fact that you have a choice of whether or not to pay for this service, many people choose not to. Therefore for example, let's say 40% of the people choose to, and the other 60% (who want the "choice" to not be told by the government "what to do") don't pay into.
So now using that same analogy, 40% of 1 million people is 400,000. That's now 400,000 people paying a total of 1 million pounds, that equals £2.50 each versus £1 each in a national system.
Of course these figures have been simplified and reduced just to make it easier to understand, in reality it wouldn't be 1 million it would perhaps be several billion.
Seen plenty of videos of stupid yanks going "Well if there's a national system, taxes have to go up, do you want to pay more taxes"?
What they fail to understand is quite simple - let's suppose taxes go up a whopping 10% just to cover it.
That means that you're paying higher taxes but you no longer have to pay anywhere from $225-$2500 a month for healthcare.... no more paying $300 for a carton of insulin.
No more paying $1,150 for several boxes of plastic bags to last a month for your son...
I prefer the term "Land of the fee".
@@thefiestaguy8831 me too
This is just simply false.
In Sweden she could be hired by the state as caregiver for her child and get paid for taking care of him. Like a normal job.
That's the Capitalism that America loves.
Thats democracy for ya.. I know people are wishing we would be a republic...go away!! even when us as commonwealth citizen get free medical if travelling to commonwealth countries, reciprical agreement...
It's important to note that America is considered one of the countries with the most freedoms and rights in the world. This is the reason they are able to do what they're doing to you, the general public, because the general public does not possess the same rights and freedoms as the rest of the world.
It’s only considered that way within its own border. The rest of the developed world looks at the US as deluded with regards to basic human rights, employment rights and real freedom
I've had 2 long stays in hospital over the last 4 years. I was in for 5 weeks in Feb/Mar 2020 just as covid started I had 2 operations, and I was in for 3 weeks last year. The price I had to pay for both stays was zero. Thank you NHS you are the gift that keeps on giving. I wouldn't like to think how much I would have had to pay for it in the US....
AND ON THIS ONE ISSUE ALONE,,PLACES EUROPE STREETS AHEAD IN THE MORAL STAKES.
Include Australia in this statistic. Go back and look at the chart.
Did a FULL medical check up in Bangkok. Thailand that are ranked 5 in the world in healthcare..
ALOT of labtest results from blood urine and even poo and a interested polite doctor with modern new equipment (most of the equipment is automatic like temp bloodpressure pulse length and weight)
Total cost...well about 80$ and no insurance needed and i payed cash
The Us healthcare is ranked 14 in the world btw
It's funny, people often refer to countries like Sweden and Denmark having such high taxes.
And I mean it's true, about 10% higher than the US, but then we don't have to pay for ambulances, barely pay for hospital visits, it's like $15 for an x-ray or giving birth to a child...
Not even mentioning relatively cheap medical drugs, free School all the way through University, free School lunches...
A lot can be improved in all countries, but the principle of a little bit higher tax so that you don't need insurances and pay for things (almost) everybody wants/needs just seems like a better system
It's like they realise that a Happier and Healthier population is cheaper to maintain and more productive...
@@Flirkann I guess you meant to say "they don't", but it's all good, don't hate me for nitpicking, puss-puss.
ETA Perhaps you were talking about the Nordics, and then I agree
@@matshjalmarsson3008 yup, the later, and other countries with "Socialised" Healthcare
The US is the only country in the world that doesn't have a law that controls drug prices. In fact there is a law in The US that forbids any type of price control on drugs.
USA be like
"A lot more restrictions on guns... why would anyone want to do that?"
"A law that forbids a price cap on crucial drugs required by much of the population...? Now there's a good idea".
My cousins son was born with a serious heart defect and had to undergo open heart surgery at less than one week old. Months & years of follow up treatment later and the boy is now a healthy 19yr old . Total cost £0.00. Another friend had a daughter born prematurely at 25 weeks and weighed less than 2lb , 14 weeks in neo-natal care followed with 24hr care and follow up treatment etc followed. His daughter is now 26 years of age and as healthy as any other young adult , total cost £0.00. The NHS isn't perfect but it's always there when you need it.
No matter what, you will need healthcare in your lifetime, especially when you pass 40+ years old. As a Canadian and having lived and worked in the US for several years, I always to make sure I have enough budget for insurance premium like at least $600+ a month!. I'm so glad I'm back in Canada and never worry again about healthcare.
In the UK, some hospitals do charge for parking, a while ago I was charged £3 for bringing my wife for her free radio therapy after her free mastectomy and her free chemotherapy. Admittedly it was later pointed out to me that oncology had a separate free car park for future visits!
Oh. My. God. I thought the saddest thing in this world was to see little children suffer with diseases like cancer. To know parents are asked to not only endure the heartbreaking roller coaster of watching their little ones go through hell medically, but on top to be burdened with the financial worries of how to pay??? WTF! America, you have lost your humanity and your way. We grumble from time to time about our politicians but I will be forever grateful to be an Australian and have the access to medical services at no charge. It must frighten the shit out of you Ryan with your little one.
There's also a code R1P-0FF for fainting when you see your medical bill after a 1 week hospital stay in the USA.
When I was a young lad I wanted to move to the USA, after holidaying in Florida (Kissimmee) twice, 2003 and 2005. My dad wanted to move to the USA prior to myself and my sister being born, my mother didn't want to and we remained in the UK.
Boy am I glad they never moved before I was born... and the want to live in the USA? That's long gone!
You'd have to pay me to move to the USA.
A neighbour needed surgery for malignant melanoma 13 yrs ago. She had v close follow up at a nearby specialist cancer hospital with a local recurrence 2 years later, followed by a secondary melanoma at a distant site 5 yrs after 1st Dx & another secondary melanoma in a different distant site 1 yr after that, all needing surgery & then state of the art chemo and immunotherapy. She still has very close follow up with regular CT & MRI scans and has been disease free & well for 5 years - all free thanks to the UK 🇬🇧 NHS
It still astounds me that the US government pay far more per capita for healthcare than here in Australia yet we’ve managed to have had universal free healthcare since the 80’s. My sister suffered a brain aneurysm and the operation, hospital etc was completely free. She had a second identical operation under the private system a few months later and the operation was $45,000 and her private health fund covered all but a $500 excess (deductible). Every time I go visit family in the US I make sure I’m very well covered by comprehensive travel insurance. Also Australia’s universal health system called Medicare is reciprocal in many counties around the world like the UK, Netherlands, New Zealand etc. We also have the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) and that means the Australian Government negotiates the cost of thousands of popular drugs and subsidises the cost. My parents needed Covid antiviral medicine which was $1300 a dose. The cost to them was $6.70. That’s how it’s done. The maximum we pay for most drugs is $32 including for drugs costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. I hope that US catches up with the rest of the world on this (and guns!) soon. Craig - Australia
Am I glad that I live somewhere that I don't have to worry about becoming sick...
Criminally rapacious health workers. That’s your problem. ‘Shareholders’ is a word that never should be used in association with health care. I am aghast.
I love the Norwegian health system. I use a lot of medication, rheumatism and a couple of other things. When my costs pass about 300 USD a year, everything is free. My father have severe cancer, my mother have had the MS diagnose since 1986. All free, but we still have to pay for parking at the hospitals. :D
Similar in Germany - only the limit of what you pay is not a fixed sum. It is 2% of your yearly income or 1% if you have a chronic disease.
We have a deductible of €385 a year, which can voluntarily be raised to €885 a year in return for a lower premium of the basis insurance policy. This is exactly what I did almost 10 years ago. And I pay my yearly premium of €1559 in one payment in January which gives me a deduction of 1%. I also have an additional health insurance and dental insurance for a yearly premium of €242. My employer gives me a monthly amount of €20.50 for my health insurance, so all together it is the full amount of my additional insurance, so I get that one for ‘free’. The basic health insurance premium has raised 17% from €1330 in 2023 to €1559 in 2024. But all in all I am satisfied with our healthcare system. The only downside is the influence the insurance companies have on the hospitals. Smaller hospitals on the countryside are forced to merge with bigger hospitals in the city and a few years later the smaller hospitals disappear or are transformed into day care clinics as satellites of the bigger city hospitals. There are hardly any countryside hospitals left in our country and even in the cities there are none. What’s left are big factory-like hospitals. Amsterdam, our biggest city, has only 5 mega hospitals of 3 hospital groups. One hospital in North, one hospital in East and West and one hospital in South and Southeast. Not any hospital in the city center. I live on the countryside and our small hospital merged 8 years ago with a hospital giant in Utrecht city, they closed 3 of the 5 hospitals and now they announced the closure of the fourth in 2 years, so by then only one mega hospital is left. I now have to drive 45 minutes (outside rush hour) to the hospital and pay the parking fee, or 2.5 hours by public transport with two transfers (bus,-train-train). It used to be 20 minutes by car and 30 minutes by public transport (bus, no transfers).
Very sad America we need to be careful in Australia our government’s over the years are trying to stuff Medicare 😢😢😢
I am so sorry and sad for families in the USA, even the elderly who have no money. The system is broken, heartless, and not operating in the best interest of the people. Our system is not perfect here in New Zealand, but it is fair to everyone. Some of u🎉s have medical insurance, but it does not provide emergency care or major urgent surgeries. Our waiting times are getting worse due to severe shortages of nurses and doctors. Thanks to the mandated Vax, many left the profession. But my cardiac arrest, ambulance transportation, resuscitation, blood transfusions, and heart surgery all on 5th November 2023, plus the hospital stay for a week, and on going follow-ups, did not cost me a cent. So, even though some services are slow to get provided, patients get fantastic emergency services. Thanks for the video. It's unbelievable how much it all costs now in the USA!! 😢
It's crazy. In Australia, our healthcare system is essentially free, paid for through taxes that all of us pay to ensure we ALL have essential healthcare. Healthcare for a country's citizens should be the responsibility of the government, not profit based corporations. It is something that I can't comprehend. I feel so sorry for the average US citizen.
Americans would say: "isn't that communist?" a very sad state of affairs. The USA is the only developed country in the world that doesn't have some sort of socialised healthcare system
The crazy thing is that American 'healthcare' is more expensive than healthcare in other countries, because it is not controlled. When I lived in the USA the blood pressure medication I needed cost my insurance about 10 times the money they had to pay in my home country Germany. And when I talked with friends it's the same with EPI-pens, Insulin, Ibuprofen etc. A package EPI-Pens (2pcs) cost at that time 600$ in the USA while you could get the same identical package for 55€ in Germany.
In Germany there is a Government office that checks medication and their usefulness and set the max price allowed for it.
In Finland (and I guess in many other European countries) the system works quite well: almost free public health care forces private health care providers to keep prices down, and private health care forces public health care to keep the quality up.
Hi Amsterdam here.
I had a heavy stroke 8 years ago.one side paralyse,problems with speaking etc .One week hospital,3 month revalidation,i'm in a wheelchair now and it cost nothing, the insurance picked up the bill.
,🇪🇺🇳🇱
I'm in the UK. My builder's wife needed an MRI. Our NHS is struggling at the moment and there's a waiting list, so he decided to send her for a private one. He doesn't have private insurance. The cost? Just £1,850, around $2,300. If you're American, it would probably be cheaper here even if you had to pay the airfare. 😂😂😂
Still sounds expensive. I looked at paying for an X-ray myself in the UK as I had private medical but they were going through a process of confirming my medical history with my GP, and it took a while. The Chest XR was priced at between £110 and £155. An MRI when I checked was around £800-£1,150.
@@thefiestaguy8831 Thats not the point, even at those prices U.S. Americans are cheaper off going the expensive route in Europe. Which is insane if you think about it.
@@lindaraterink6451 Oh i'm fully aware.
I can't stand those Americans who think their system is great and a nationally funded system is a terrible idea.
Half of them don't have any idea just how cheap it is and think it costs more money to run... basic business knowledge tells you a simple fact.
More money available = more buying power, thus generally lower prices since you can negotiate huge bulk deals. The NHS purchases it's drug supplies from various pharmaceutical companies, in huge orders and makes a large saving, meaning medication that might cost the NHS £10 in the UK would cost upwards of $100 or more in the so called "Great USA".
The USA system is so broken. A bag of saline which is just salt water shouldn’t cost over $1000. That’s actual insanity. I can buy one online for £5. And that’s not at ‘NHS’ cost which will be likely less than £2 to the healthcare provider. £2. For the same item. One thing that had me utterly incensed recently is that they charge a mother who has just delivered for ‘skin to skin’. Listed on their bill. They are paying to put their own new baby on their own skin.
THAT IS DISGRACEFUL! How can you charge for that?! ‘Well done for pushing out your baby without meds. That’ll cost you $5000, plus extra for holding your newborn on your own skin’…. 😳😡😡
If the stats for maternal mortality weren’t so bad, it wouldn’t be even worse, but the US has terrible terrible stats for maternal deaths. Worse than many 3rd world countries.
Your system is completely broken and is a licence to print money. People are dying, going bankrupt, so shareholders can make obscene $$ out of misery.
Just a example usa cardiology doctors earn Cardiologist in the US is USD 459,000 per year.cardiologist salary in the United Kingdom is £93,764 per year or £48.08 per hour.
Thank you again for your comparison videos I very much do appreciate your candid nature good for you Ryan
I’m so happy to live in Denmark 🇩🇰
AU - someone who has had multiple Tonic seizures, an emergency ambulance ride the first time, emergency CT scan, emergency anti-seizure meds, multiple MRI and EEG scans (expected to be an annual/biannual occurrence), regular blood pathology, regular neurological consultation, condition specialist consultation in other hospitals, GP monitoring plan, and daily anti-seizure meds... Has only directly cost them a few hundred dollars over the last few years, entirely through the administration fee for each prescription filled out as the medication is covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
You should watch the documentary Sicko by Michael Moore. He goes around the world comparing other countries healthcare systems compared to America. It's shocking, eye opening and very entertaining. One man sawed two fingers off and could only afford to have one put back on!
Here are just a few comparisons of some of the most expensive drug treatments on the market comparing Cost in the USA versus cost in the UK:
Actimmune: US list price is $52,321 for 12 vials. UK $6,897 per 12 vials,
Daraprim: US list price $45,000 for six tablets.. UK $20 for 30 tablets.
Cinryze: US list price $44,140 for 20 vials. UK $34,293 per 20 vials.
Chenodal: US list price $42,570 for 90 tablets. UK $16,160 for 90 tablets.
Juxtapid: US list price $36,992 for 30 capsules. UK $14,836 for 30 capsules.
Firazyr: US list price $32,468 for two syringes. UK $3,597 for two syringes.
I faced breast cancer in 2009.
4 surgeries, chemo therapy, years of exams, medication. Cost: Zero!
Also had paid time off work till I recovered.
I live in Europe. Thankfully.
Isnt it clear that the insurance companies and the hospitals are working together to increase the bill. In the end the customer in need will pay it anyways so it is in both interests to increase the bill slowly but steadily without sparking large riots. Expect it to continue increasing for the coming decades.
It's the insurance companies mostly.
They refuse to pay a lot of bills and demand significant reductions on the rest, in order for the hospital to not make a loss after arguing with the insurance company for weeks before finally settling they need a huge markup on the original bill.
The more insurance companies try to reduce their costs by negotiating harder the more hospitals need to raise their prices to continue to make a profit, even worse it's actually bad to be an insurance company that doesn't argue because then you're stuck paying the higher rates, so the most successful insurance companies are the ones making it worse for everyone at their own marginal gain.
I have had four hip replacements on the same hip in three years (due to infections). I have had a nurse visiting the house every day for six weeks at a time to administer IV antibiotics, this has been on two occasions. On top of this I have a heart condition which requires some 17 tablets per day. I also have COPD and arthritis.
Total cost of this care to me: £0 .. we pay at income source through taxes. Without our wonderful NHS system, we might also be in the immoral situation that the USA is in. Thank you Aneurin Bevan
🙏🙏
I just spent two nights in hospital in the UK, I had the full treatment and tests, all it cost me was a cab ride home.
When our king in Norway needed heart surgery he was admitted to the same hospital as my brother was admitted to and treated probably by some of the same people for the same condition. The king do have a private room due to security, but if he could decide I'm sure he would prefer to be with other people as he a very social person. 😊
To see that kid and his mother with a pile of bills is just sad, in Norway it would have been free, and the parents would also get up to a year off work with pay, to take care of their child, and after that he would be in a kindergarden with a specialist taking care of him while the parent could work. They would never have to worry about how to pay for the healtcare, their only worry would be to take good care of him at home, but he would probably get a medical team at home too that could take care of the kid if he needed to have any treatment in the middle of the night. To see the struggle of this mother for her kids healthcare is just heartbreaking and I'm sure it would have cost them less to just move to UK or Norway or something and stay at a hotel for a few months than to get it in their own country. You will have to be part of our health care system to get treatment, but if you're like visiting as a tourist and slip and break a leg or something you would still get free healthcare here, just a small fee at the ER, but operation and to stay in the hospital would be free, and you would have to fill out some papers as a foreigner, but you wouldn't have to worry about any bills when you get back home.
A few years ago a cruise ship full of American tourists (and some from Japan), had to evacuate as the ship lost it motor power and was drifting towards land and a bunch of rocks, and some of the Americans refused to get rescued due to what they thought would cost them a lot. Some of them did need to get treatment as they was injured from roof coming down and tables flying around, and they was so excited to tell the press how it didn't cost them a single penny. Of course some of them sued the cruise company, but the rescue and treatment in hospital they were so happy with.
If you ever need treatment you should concider going to another country as it would probably be cheaper even if you had to pay something.
One to solve it is stopping your politicians/political parties getting campaign money from big pharma/corporations and no influence/payments/positions on boards etc. from lobbying.
Then your elected politicians need to sort out the health care system AND employment laws [as they are the worst in the '1st world' too!
Unfortunately, the UK has a similar system for funding the political parties and it is already showing. You will have to stop it or the disparaging saying 'two cheeks of the same arse" will become a reality. Current Tory donors have no problem donating to Labour if it buys them influence.
Now here is one video that Ryan can’t possibly get wrong.
My granddaughter was born iin Sydney at 25 weeks and was in the NICU for 4 months. Cost our family mothing
I live in the UK and have never had to pay a medical bill and I’m grateful for this every day. 🏴🏴🇬🇧
So am I. My wife had a cardiac arrest and ended up in a coma for 9 days before she passed away. I hate to think how much it would have been had it been private.
My youngest daughter suddenly had convulsions one evening at the age of two. We called the emergency services. Five minutes later, a rescue helicopter landed a few hundred meters away. When the doctors were in the house, the ambulance also arrived. Our daughter was taken to the hospital by ambulance, given medication, examined and observed in detail for the following days and returned home after three days. Cost? Zero point zero
Greetings from Germany
12:54 - to be fair… that’s the same in Germany as well if you’re out of the public healthcare. I’m privately insured (because state employees are privately insured, not publicly…. Don’t ask..) and the FIRST thing I HAVE TO sign at every doctor is „I‘ll pay whatever the fuck you charge me (as long as it‘s got a billable number) no matter what my insurance does“.
If I go and ASK my doctor for a quote it’s usually „can‘t really give you one - depends on what the findings will be“ and if I do manage to get a quote my insurance will respond to that quote with „if this proves to be within our coverage we‘ll pay it“ - ye no shit Sherlock… I asked you IF it’s covered…
Like we got laws saying a contractor can’t deviate more than 30% off his quote without consent and reason; but that don’t work in healthcare because you wanna be woken up during a bypass surgery „Hey we got some unexpected bleeding, you want us to control it? That would be another 500€.“ - „No I’d rather you stick to the original plan“ *proceeds to bleed out*…
It’s why I think this is just an area that CANNOT ever work like a normal business. I think it was called a perfectly inelastic market - you got 0 power as the consumer as you are dependent on it.
The UK with free health care also is world class in research and development
The situation is dire and a there is no solution in sight but there are a few small fixes here and there.
This thing they talked about when you go into an in network center and they bill you because some of those who treated you were out-of-network workers was mostly dealt with by the out-of-network No Surprises Act that made it much more difficult to do as in most cases this will be illegal.
In the last few years my wife and I would have been dead or bankrupt several times over in the US. Our service may be creaking a bit but it works when you need it.
The way you explained how money and raises etc. work psychologically: spot on, and it applies to everything else as well. Most people have a hard time accepting a (perceived) lower standard of living than their parents, or that they themselves had at another point. Be it a nominal amount of income, the size of their car, the year-round availability of imported foodstuffs, or anything else. This so-called shifting baseline effect can even explain the degradation of the natural world. If every generation experiences a mere 15% drop in the amount of wildlife around them, no one will really notice the steady decline, and it will seem unfathomable and irrationally radical to suggest that things are utterly f'ed. It's the way you've always known it - it must be fine.
During covid, my husband had a cancerous kidney removed and stayed in hospital for a week. He has all the follow-up appointments he needs. Rescently, he had a knee replacement and stayed in hospital for 3 days. Again, he is aftercare he needs and physiotherapy. The cost is nothing. OK, we have paid taxes, but that is all no co pay. Also because of our age we do not pay for our prescriptions. If we did have to pay £9.65 per item. So that would would cost me £77.20 per month and I'm have an asthma inhaler.
Cost of parking was the only cost I needed to pay or recent needs to attend a public hospital in Australia. It’s not a perfect system but no one will be bankrupt for medical care. Cost is not really a concern when medical procedure is needed.
Im in Ireland. Last year I paid 400 euro for a burst appendix and 5 days on the ward. Now it would be free as they changed it in the budget
However, RTAs are not covered by the state. In February I was knocked off my motorbike - ambulance, broken neck, broken back, severed artery, 2 mini strokes, broken right wrist, broken left hand and 7 days on the ward Her insurance will have to pay 11000 euros for my care. I am also off work for at least 4 months on full pay with the state covering a portion of my wages
How much would all that cost in the states?
Those bags for the kid cost ~1€/p here.. and are free for children who need them...
That’s one thing too, you can’t sue a doctor for malpractice in Sweden. You can get reimbursed if you are injured through the government but you can’t sue individual doctors.
This is probably the best explanation to the problems Ive seen. What was most shocking was the presidential primarys with so many candidates not wanting to change things. At least Bernie really put forward strong solutions & he came close. Change will come at some point as more young people get educated on the topic. But super pacs are a huge opponent to getting change
Yes people do go abroad to receive health care, and the more their bills would be, it is less expensive "over there." The first category of procedures that comes to mind are the transplants. The read up on a guy, an American, who went to Singapore for a new liver. His description of the hospital that he was in could very well have been a 5-star hotel. (And savings too!!)
Same people condemning that child's parents to debt and stress? The same people who are anti abortion because "they care for the kids".
P.s. don't come at me with an abortion debate. Just pointing out hypocrisy. Exists regardless of your stance.
Jup, they pretend to care about every life but once you're born they lose all interest until you've reached military age. When you chose not to go in the military, they lose all interest again.
I read this somewhere, I don't remember where, so I can't credit it, but I do think it sums it up quite well:
"The USA aren't a country, they are a business."
Thanx for closing your discord. I was checking mine every frikkin beep 😂😂
If the bureaucrats were to be visited by a bunch of men (assuming!!) dressed up as ghosts, the paperwork might flow a little faster. You can always find a way to reduce the cost of the bureaucracy but, when it comes to the actual medical care, it is difficult to impossible to have a view as to what to do from outside of the Doctor Box.
4:20 What if other countries would decide: "Let's build a wall and put institutions in place so US Americans can't visit our hospitals, physicians, etc.?"
That mentality reminds me of something....
Hi,im from spain ,the 12% of my salary go to healthcare and unployement,last year i was one week in hospital, scans,resonante,medicine,ecography,and my Bill was ZERO
Very realistic , this childs treatment would have cost nothing here in Australia & in many other countries . My wife has a brain tumor , neuro surgery , intensive care , physio , speec therapy all free , when discharged a nurse comes to our home every second day to shower & check on her . The government also have a domestic helper for 8 hours a week , transport to anywhere she needs to go & assistance with shopping , all totally FREE . Sure we all pay taxes but we get it back in times like ours , do I think we live in the lucky country , I do , what do you think ?
I fell and broke my arm. The ER with insurance is $2,000. Yes I am on a payment plan.
I went to my GP (free consultation) with wrist pain sent for X-ray (free) had phone consultation with GP (free) booked in for cortisone injection with GP (free) all done within three weeks. Not a penny paid in the UK it was only a small procedure, but needed.
Although suing for $100 million for a chipped nail is one reason why surgeons in the US have to carry malpractice insurance - is it $65,000 a week?
‘It’s just stupid’ - well said Ryan
Not regulating prices of procedures and medications go out of control. Free market cannot deal with it when the cost is human life.
It started with Reagan.
The slide to the bottom.
I honestly believe for many conditions that allow travel and scheduled procedures flying to Europe and paying everything out of pocket here is cheaper and faster than in the US.
I'd at least give it a back of a napkin...
I've been to America 3 times and we're told to get the best insurance possible because if you get sick whilst on holiday there you'll end up with astronomical healthcare bills.
Health insurance in my country will cost you € 150 for basic and € 250 for super plus a month , it's very affordable and you never ever have to worry about the cost of treatment or medication . By the way our gp costs nothing and children are covered until the age of 18 I believe. We also have population surveys those are always free of charge, ambulances are free and there are always very experienced personnel who will start the treatment you might need . In Europe we value life.
Went to see my GP today and paid roughly $20, which also count towards my annual deductible of around $300.
9:18
That's a very common misconception.
In reality, nothing is stopping us from reaching for progress, attempting to improve efficiency, and so on without these supposed necessities.
We don't need economic systems and [for profit] organisations. We don't need [competition]. Everything that those things supposedly do for us, we can easily do ourselves without those things as long as we, as a species, grow the fuck up and have some discipline.
As far as [reality] is concerned, we have COMPLETE freedom to do whatever we want and exist however we want.
The only worries we actually have that aren't self-made are basic necessities and the occasional natural disaster and disease. Most, if not all of which would be child's play to deal with if humanity had its shit together. 🤦
Absurd is the correct word Ryan, you hit the nail on the head there 👍
I'm from GER. We have medical bills off appr. 60 - 100 K Euros a year for 3 years now, chemotherapy - saved my wifes life. And it's all covered by health insurance (costs 500 € / month plus 480 € out of pocket / year), including CTs, MRTs, bloodwork and specialist's consulting. I'll never understand the US-healthcare-system, it's ridiculous; having no money is like a death sentence if you become sick.
I had an emergency laparoscopy last week for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and had a 2-night stay in the hospital due to a lot of blood loss. I had two ultrasounds, 2 blood tests, 3 IVs, multiple painkilllers, and was sent home with a 2-week supply of Fragmin injections, codeine and a months supply of Iron tablets and its cost me nothing more than my husbands car parking ticket at the hospital when visiting.
I just googled the rough price of a laparoscopy in America and it is between $7,000 and $13,000. To think this is just for the surgery without everything else I had over these two days is insane!!!
I am so grateful for the NHS and for the care I have received 🩵
It's so bad that America don't have a government founded health care like we do. My uncle is now getting treatment for cancer and is going to get a knee operation and he also got his eyes fixed last year, he is 75 years old. My mother is soon getting a hip replacement surgery, and her friend had a knee replacement surgery yesterday, and they all payed nothing other than a small fee to get pain killers when they get home, and when they get home they will have things like wheelchairs, crutches or that thing with wheels on that old people use, all free of charge.
I will have to get an MR of my brain due to some health issues, and for that I will have to pay approximately 450 NOK ($40) included the doctors appointment to get the recvisition to the MR clinic. The place that takes the MR is actually a private company but the government give them money to use their clinic so people doesn't have to wait for the few machines at the hospitals, so I would probably have the MR within two-three weeks, if I pay privately it would take like a week, but will cost about $271.
When we go to the doctor a lot or like taking MR and stuff we have a limit for how much we have to pay each year, it's about $271 now, but not everything is in this system like certain medication you will need to pay for yourself, but medicine for things like diabetes and heart medication, adhd medicin and a lot of others is included, so when I get the medicin for my asthma and allergy I don't have to pay more than $271 a year as long as it's on what we call a "blue prescription" insted of the "white prescription" that is not included in this, but you still don't pay as much as in America. what we actually argue about here is that the dental care is not included in the healthcare if you're more than 26 years old, it was upgraded to 26 last year, as it had been free until 18 and a 20% fee after that until you're 20 if yoou didn't have a condition like Downs syndrome or other disability that could affect the teeth. People want that it should be fully included for everyone, and it's probably coming soon, but they will take it slowly as if they where to make it happen for everyone over night the dentists would be ran down by people with bad dental hygiene or no teeth. If you're in jail you already have free dental care, that's why people in prison have good teeth while people in eldery homes don't get the same treatment, so if you're old you should consider robbing a bank (if the bank had money though, in Norway the bank doesn't usually have a lot of money, you will have to make an appointment to get into the bank, and if you wish to have a lot of cash, from your account you will have to fill out a form and wait a few days to pick them up, so it's not easy to rob a bank here 😂).
Our healthcare system is founded by our high income taxes, but for that we all get the same treatment even if we don't have any money, and we can also get an ambulance or police or fire men for free, and education is also free payed by the taxes, it's called socialism, it's not so bad as many Americans seams to think.
If we want to get a weapon we can also get it for hunting or other, but it will need a registration and you will have to get some education to learn how to use it, but everyone is free to do so if they want to, although just a few people actually have them. (There are off course criminals that have illegal ones, but it is not as big a problem as in America)