INSIGHT: Healthcare in the USA

According to reports from the USA, if you get severely ill and are hospitalised, you have to pay for the treatment.

For long recurring medical conditions, this can mean whole families can have their lives ruined financially ending up in the loss of their homes, as well as their lives.

HOW HEALTHCARE WORKS IN AMERICA

a) To afford to pay for healthcare private insurance, you have to have a high paying job to pay the large monthly costs and premiums.

b) If you do not have healthcare insurance and get sick, you are shit out of luck from receiving premium treatment and are usually referred to low tier medicare which has a very long waiting list. However, you can turn up at a proper hospital and demand treatment, the hospital will usually treat you then give you a large bill at the end of your visit, bankrupting you.

c) A normal treatment at a hospital which would cost you nothing in the UK, will cost Americans over $64,000. For protracted treatment, it can go up to the millions.

d) Most health insurance in America does not pay for certain illnesses, so unless you take the time to read the small print (which insurers can change at any time) then you will have to pay the full cost of treatment regardless of the fact that you pay full whack for insurance.

e) Don’t forget the fact that when you have health insurance and receive treatment you have to also pay an extra cost as a deductible. This sum can be quite large depending on the treatment cost and the insurers whim.

f) Apart from the threat of losing your home if you get sick in America, there’s the additional threat of losing your healthcare if you lose your job. The amount of stress this causes most Americans actually makes them sick, which is in the long run good for the medical and health insurance business.

g) According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2012 there were 48.0 million people in the US (15.4% of the population) who were without health insurance.

h) Some Americans deliberately commit crimes so they can go to prison and receive free healthcare.

i) If you are from outside the US, and travelling in the country you must make sure you have the correct travel insurance. If not, and you get sick, you will be stuck in the USA indefinitely until you pay off your vast hospital bills.

j) None of the above relates to the NHS in the UK as all treatment is free.