Do Americans really get best healthcare?

[Collegeguy]

Unless you think a $10,000 ambulance ride is the best healthcare.

[vindicatorx]

The rich people do. The middleclass, the poor, aka 99% (maybe 95% is closer for this subject) do not.

But, if you're middle class, and you have to sell your house to cure your cancer, is that really 'good' healthcare? You may be alive, but now you have nothing.

Wait I missed this gem earlier on what planet do middle class not have insurance? I had insurance when I was considered low income and working in college at a restaurant. Most middle class has insurance from my experience this is the first time in my life I have not had any.

[Tradewind]

I'm pretty sure we have the best doctors in the world.

That seems somewhat subjective to be honest. Unless other developed nations have doctors who are literally killing off their patients left and right

[Deleted]

Our care is pretty good, and our specialists are amongst the best. It's just overpriced as fuck

http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/#/11111115111

Keep in mind that doesn't list all factors, but I do think it has the most important ones.

Isn't that just overall health of the population and not healthcare?

[Vizardlorde]

That seems somewhat subjective to be honest. Unless other developed nations have doctors who are literally killing off their patients left and right

Here we have insurance so they cant be sued when they do kill someone.

[GreatOak]

Isn't that just overall health of the population and not healthcare?

Well if your healthcare is utterly terrible there's a good chance the population won't be healthy.

[Kalis]

That seems somewhat subjective to be honest. Unless other developed nations have doctors who are literally killing off their patients left and right

Well, we had Harold Shipman.

[vindicatorx]

Sorry, but you're completely wrong.

Actually no he is right most hospitals will work out a payment plan. They want paid, and that doesn't happen if you file for bankruptcy.

[feellucky]

I dint know anyone who has had cancer that had to sell their house to treat their cancer nor has the hospital allowed them to die when funds were an issue. Most cancer centers will work with patients when it comes to payments. The amount of idiocy in this thread is turning epic very early on.

And many people go into the emergency room and the hospital does not refuse them yet they are billed although what happens from then varies from state to state but if they don't ever pay the cost for their treatment is basically spread out of everyone else's insurance premiums. There are certainly people who have sold their house to pay for treatment and people are not admitted to many hospitals or especially allowed to see certain specialists without having insurance or a way to pay for the treatment. Access to new expensive drugs is also something people sell houses and cars for. Just because you don't know anyone personally doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Some cancer centers won't even see patients who don't have insurance or ability to pay, there are those that will. Smaller clinics and hospitals are more likely to work with patients and there are some free hospitals and clinics though waits there can be pretty long just like they are in many ERs across the country.

Don't add to what you are complaining about.

[Tradewind]

Our care is pretty good, and our specialists are amongst the best. It's just overpriced as fuck

http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/#/11111115111

Keep in mind that doesn't list all factors, but I do think it has the most important ones.

That still only puts the US 10th overall out of all OECD nations and one of those factors is health spending, where the US is the highest in the whole world. But throwing money at healthcare doesn't always mean it's better when you're paying $40 for an aspirin at a ward.

[Kalcheus]

Nobody in the UK ever had to make meth to pay for cancer treatment.

If you actually don't know the premise of Breaking Bad, why are you citing it?

[Deleted]

Well if your healthcare is utterly terrible there's a good chance the population won't be healthy.

Erhm... Yeah, I knew that *smokebomb*

[Xeones]

That seems somewhat subjective to be honest. Unless other developed nations have doctors who are literally killing off their patients left and right

I could have worded that better. Great doctors and great facilities, the combination makes us better than most first world countries. Rich people donate lots of money to hospitals around where I live. Wings of the hospital are named after them.

[Vizardlorde]

Actually no he is right most hospitals will work out a payment plan. They want paid, and that doesn't happen if you file for bankruptcy.

I have personally experienced that they are willing to take 1/5 of what the bill is over having you file for bankrupcy.

[Tastyfish]

Nobody in the UK ever had to make meth to pay for cancer treatment.

HAR HAR.
Don't you mean tooth care? :P
It's funny tho, that many parents Spend so long paying off orthadontist bills in the USA, something most insurance does not pay for.

[OzoAndIndi]

Many don't get it because many can't afford it. Now do we have some of the best, in some cases yeah. At the same time though there are other countries who's healthcare is just as good, but more affordable.. or free to them. :\ Us, we get a carrot on a stick.. the richer you are the higher you are able to jump to try to reach the carrot. (Ok, it's America, it probably a burger, not a carrot, but you get the point.)

[vindicatorx]

That seems somewhat subjective to be honest. Unless other developed nations have doctors who are literally killing off their patients left and right

We have great specialists and here we have relatively quick access to them. From what I understand in some countries you have to schedule an appointment with your regular physician and then schedule an appointment with a specialist which can take months to get in. Here you see your physician today and can see a specialist by the end of the week, and have surgery or start treatment within days.

[Kalis]

HAR HAR.
Don't you mean tooth care? :P

We have the healthiest teeth in the world, alongside ze Germans (who beat us on a penalty shootout).

http://www.economist.com/node/15060097

[Tradewind]

I have personally experienced that they are willing to take 1/5 of what the bill is over having you file for bankrupcy.

Makes you wonder what the margin is normally.

[Daerio]

Wait I missed this gem earlier on what planet do middle class not have insurance? I had insurance when I was considered low income and working in college at a restaurant. Most middle class has insurance from my experience this is the first time in my life I have not had any.

So you're under the false impression that having insurance means you won't go bankrupt if you get sick. Well, you've got some learning to do.

Actually no he is right most hospitals will work out a payment plan. They want paid, and that doesn't happen if you file for bankruptcy.

Actually no, he's wrong, because the hospital's only legal requirement is to STABILIZE the patient. They are not required to do surgery, for example, to remove a tumor, nor are they required to provide medicine, like chemo. Hospitals ARE NOT required to "treat" you.

Also, there are limits on what they're willing to work out a "payment plan" for. If it's something you could reasonably expect to pay in a lifetime? Maybe. That doesn't include plenty of stuff though.

If you've been brainwashed into thinking our health system isn't completely broken, then I really don't know what to tell you.