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Imagine being a healthcare professional in a country without universal healthcare and working in the emergency department

and having someone in a diabetic coma and be like "Did he give us the $100 for a sugar cube yet?"
Myzery · 41-45, F
Yeah, not sure about unconscious people, but I know that I get annoyed in the ER that the payment person comes in wanting insurance info and copays before I can get seen. I rarely go to the ER, so if I do, it's because I think that a painful death awaits me.
Myzery · 41-45, F
@HannibalAteMeOut I honestly do not know. Luckily (or unluckily) I have never had to be admitted. So they got my $500 fair and square. But, I always told the financial person that if they charged me $500 and I was admitted that they'd better have my refund check with my discharge papers, or I would be seeking a lawyer as soon as I was out.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@Myzery this whole thing you have to go through is outrageous!
Myzery · 41-45, F
@HannibalAteMeOut It is. It's ridiculous. Unless you're rich, you can't afford to get sick/injured.
The number of people who go bankrupt in America due wholly or partly to medical bills is a national scandal for a country that considers itself rich and advanced . Maybe one day it’ll finally join the ranks of the civilized nations with universal healthcare free at the point of delivery.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@basilfawlty89 So? 😇
basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M
@HannibalAteMeOut but I'm want to use my powers for good!
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M
Welcome to the U.S. The billionaires who own and govern this country have decided that a massively huge military and their low or non existent taxes are more important than healthcare. Politicians do offer universal healthcare, but they don't win elections.
Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M
@basilfawlty89 Exactly! Hillary won the popular vote but the electoral college gave us trump.
basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M
@Crazywaterspring not to mention Bernie got shafted by the DNC.
Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M
@basilfawlty89 Iowa caucus. The winner wasn't Biden. They had to cover that one.
They don't do that here in the US. ERs will take anyone, regardless of ability to pay because they are not allowed to refuse people.
@HannibalAteMeOut They send a bill but they know you don't have money so they don't usually try to force payment.
MethDozer · M
@HannibalAteMeOut Right, but they don't refuse you such treatment as the wording implies.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@MethDozer of course it was an hyperbole but I still find it extreme
SW-User
On EP I once saw this 16 year old girl pleading for someone to help her father pay for a $100,000 dollar surgery that would save her mother's life. I honestly couldn't bare to finish the post, I was like 16 too, her info was at the bottom of the post. Her father was working class, im pretty sure she didn't make it. I'll fight for her fallen mother and her! Bernie2020 motherfuckers
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@SW-User wow I don't know what to say... It's like poor people should just die.
SW-User
@HannibalAteMeOut Shits tough man
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@SW-User I'm sorry 🤗 I hope she got well
Peaceful · F
I kind of wish healthcare workers and society as a whole taught better ways to avoid needing a doctor.
It’s a joke. Like I heard someone was denied medical attention because they couldn’t afford the air ambulance ride which costed $30,000 like are you serious? It’s ridiculous. I’ll let you guess what happens to that person. 🙄
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@MsAnnThropy why did they need to go to another state though? Lack of facilities?
@HannibalAteMeOut Whatever procedure they needed done, could only be done at that area. So yeah, I guess a lack of facilities is part of it. That person didn’t get it done by the way. Because they had a $30,000 bill to worry about. 🙄
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@MsAnnThropy ohhh 😔
SwampFlower · 31-35, F
Different situation, but they flew my ass in critical condition to a hospital that was willing to treat me. The one wouldn't because I would probably die and wouldn't be worth the resources.

My other option was to go die in a hospice facility.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@SwampFlower wow... so if someone has possibilities of dying then they just leave them in god's hands, trying to treat them as much as possible or even just relieve them a little bit isn't an option? I hope you're we'll now and won't need them again!
SwampFlower · 31-35, F
@HannibalAteMeOut They do a cost benefit analysis that is never in the best interest of the patient. It is cheaper to send someone to die on palliative care than treat in many cases. They sure won't go to any great lengths to save you if they can't make money off of it.

If I couldn't have afforded to travel, I would have had no choice. That still haunts me. Im only alive because my daddy could afford a medical plane ticket. That's the only thing that made me life more valuable than someone else who would have died in my situation.

Shit keeps me awake at night
🙃
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@SwampFlower I'm sorry 🤗 it's harsh
SW-User
I've wondered how that would work in places like that.
SW-User
@Crazywaterspring I work in insolvency in my country. So i'm imagining that someone through no fault of their own could be say hit by a car etc and have to have lots of surgery then find they lose everything, just because their insurance company only paid 80% of the debt etc?
Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M
@SW-User That's how it works. Bankruptcy laws vary from state to state. Some are really draconian. Debt collectors but old debts for two cents on the dollar and sue. It the debtor has no representation they will have the bank accounts drained and paychecks will be garnished forever. Collectors make the rules and pick friendly judges. Yes, people with chronic conditions do commit suicide to avoid hospitalization.
SW-User
@Crazywaterspring That sounds really draconian as you said. As much as some take advantage of our bankruptcy laws here, i really like our system, as for the most part it's fair and even helps creditors get their money in many cases without destroying someone's life.
Jackaloftheazuresand · 26-30, M
It's easier to seem humane when you have a government pipeline
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@Jackaloftheazuresand sure, it's also pretty hard to demand human rights by a government.
SW-User
@Jackaloftheazuresand oh, I thought the funniest part was dying from a curable condition? Whoops
Jackaloftheazuresand · 26-30, M
Like Charlie Gard who still had a chance, although minuscule, but wasn't allowed it?

Don't kid yourselves, the corruption is everywhere.
basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M
Oh I can, because I know doctors that work in our country like that. Poor people need to go to the provincial hospital where there has been shortages of medicine, including for diabetics. Imagine not getting insulin.
basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M
@HannibalAteMeOut welcome to the joys of South African healthcare. There are some parties pushing for universal healthcare, but it's fiercely opposed by the conservatives and neoliberals.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@basilfawlty89 do you want me to come over and injure them so badly they will have to be in debt for the rest of their lives for the treatment? Cause I'm ready!
basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M
@HannibalAteMeOut that wouldn't be a terrible idea.
MethDozer · M
It isn't quite like that but yeah.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@MethDozer I know but I just saw in another post that in the ER a single aspirin pill costs $30 so it kinda is...
MethDozer · M
@HannibalAteMeOut No, it isn't. They bill you the $100 cube after.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@MethDozer oh that changes things 😂

 
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