Health - Resources and discussion for everything health-related

•

This Olympic medalist hurried to get all her healthcare needs done at the Games because it’s too costly in the US

https://www.reckon.news/honey/2024/08/this-olympic-medalist-hurried-to-get-all-her-healthcare-needs-done-at-the-games-because-its-too-costly-in-the-us.html

Bronze medalist Ari Ramsey has gotten a pap smear, dental check up, eye exam and new glasses—all for free. Her story highlights the pressing financial burden of accessing healthcare in the U.S.

This Olympic medalist hurried to get all her healthcare needs done at the Games because it’s too costly in the US

33 comments

apfelwoiSchoppen

•

Seriously, how long do we have to wait for universal healthcare? Too many people are making too much money on our humanity.

Empricorn

•

I guess I've always known, but it really became crystal-clear when a practicing doctor gave a speech on YouTube about how insurance companies (currently) work in the US. Behind all the inspiring commercials and the "your health matters at CarePlace", their goal is to pay as little for care as possible, and extract as much money from you as they can until you die. This doctor had seen it their entire career!

WHY THE FUCK DO WE NEED A MIDDLEMAN BETWEEN OUR CARE AND THE PAYMENT PROFITING OFF OUR HEALTH ISSUES!?

Other countries have better care that costs less!!!

lobut

•

I don't know if you were there or could recall when the dems were getting the Affordable Care act in place but the Republican propaganda was non-stop. Talking about the worst thing is happening and that this was just trying to get us to Universal Health Care and we had to stop it. Then the Death Panels propaganda ... Fox was doing segments how ACA or ObamaCare complicates healthcare as opposed to being "straightforward" with insurance companies. Quite frankly, the average American didn't have the will to overcome the propaganda network on this. Also, proponents of universal healthcare fracture sometimes on details of policy or implementation while the opposition are steadfast and united against it.

It never makes sense though, most Americans believe in it in some form. I also think some would never let a Dem give it to them even if it saved their life.

Remember that it was like John McCain's final act to stop the repeal of ObamaCare: https://youtu.be/DWeayFHsH90 and that shocked so many...

shinratdr

•

I think it’s extremely telling that the ACA, as flawed as it is, was impossible for the Republicans to repeal. They know that once it happens, there is no going back.

The health insurance lobby in the US is just too strong. If the Democrats ever get a sweeping majority, maybe you’ll see something. But outside of that remote possibility, they’ll fight it harder than anything else.

LustyArgonianMana

•

Because they don't want us to have access to Healthcare. Period. Because then we could more easily detect bad products and we could class action sue companies and maybe even govt orgs for our diseases (thats why many countries in Europe have higher standards for products/chemicals). As it is, you can't sue Johnson&Johnson for cancer if you never get diagnosed with cancer in the first place. Can't sue the military for lung disease relating to burn pits if you never make it through the VA system. And there's millions of products doing harm here. Don't even get me started on Round Up or cancer rates in people my age compared to previous generations.

corsicanguppy

•

Other countries have better care that costs less!!!

But you better believe that preserving healthcare access for the non-rich is a constant topic. It should be more a singular voting issue than it is, but that's due to the same force driving opinions in its ultimate goal of forcing change back to a mercenary system.

And every "public-private", "same procedures as public but you pay to skip the queue", "public but newer processes are kept for private" system is just on their own journey down the colon to the same American end. There can be no consolidated public healthcare system that has a future in an environment where private performs anything that can ever be considered essential. Let medical tourism be the cash cow of the last country to give up mercenary healthcare, as their own doctors are stuck mopping the floors.

JovialMicrobial

•

I will continue to wish bad things on private insurance CEOs then. It's not something I'm proud of, but it's kinda cathartic.

And as much as I value empathy and compassion, I have none for them. They literally let people die for money. I wish nothing but the worst on those fucking parasites.

adhocfungus

•

In the US? It's never ever going to happen. Even if we had a 100% Democrat Congress it'd never make it through. It would do three things that would individually each be political suicide:

Topple a 1.6 trillion dollar health insurance industry, including rich lobbyists
Put over 500,000 people out of work (even if some could be hired into a government-led program)
Remove the main threat employers use against their employees.

Sure, it would massively reduce costs both individually and overall, and it'd improve the overall health of the US, and it would likely be better for the economy, but I have given up any hope it'll ever happen. It's too entrenched. It would be like erasing the oil lobby or the military industrial complex.

OminousOrange

•

What if all the insurance companies were just bought by the government? Everyone keeps their jobs, all the profit goes to the taxpayer instead of shareholders, and fuck employers who use health insurance as leverage.

ArmokGoB

•

Remove the main threat employers use against their employees.

If I was sick enough for this to matter, I would 100% give my employer ANFO Christmas presents.

Perilous

•

What is ANFO?

toynbee

•

Looking it up, this seems to be "ammonium nitrate/fuel oil," which is allegedly mainly used in mining. Not being familiar with the substance at all, this sounds like a veiled threat.

GBU_28

•

Wait? Why do you think you get to wait? What are you doing?

(Not really a statement targeted at you, more, at the general attitude that goodness should just arrive someday)

Wanderer

•

Why don't you start with taxes which are a million times easier then build from there?

Like come on. Not having the government do taxes is so inept I wouldn't want them to look after my health at that point.

Klnsfw

•

I live in France. If I wanted to move to any other Western country, the United States would be at the bottom of the list because of the health system.

njm1314

•

It'd be fascinating to get some numbers on this in general actually I wonder if a large tourist events or just the tourist season in general sees a large uptake in healthcare being done in France for foreigners? Particularly for Americans.

ghostface

•

Look up border trips from Texas, new Mexico, arizona and more whom.have regular bus trips for seniors to.get care because its cheaper

lemmylommy

•

Tourists have to pay usually, though it might still be cheaper than in the states. Olympic athletes get free healthcare.

JimmyBigSausage

•

Olympic’s healthcare is not the same as France’s. Article misleading. As an American tourist in France it would not be free for me.

scoobford

•

It isn't free, but it is so much cheaper. My mother got covid in Paris and had some kind of weird allergic reaction in her eye. An emergency visit with an actual doctor and a prescription filled while we waited was...I actually don't remember how much. It was so little it may as well have been free (in the context of a family on an international vacation, not everyday life).

IsThisAnAI

•

If you can afford the Olympics or a flight, you have healthcare. The vast majority of things would be cheaper to stay at home.

stoly

•

Incorrect. Insurance is far more expensive than a quick trip to Europe. Good rates are only for large organizations. The retail cost is extreme.

LustyArgonianMana

•

No, not really cheaper to stay at home. Even botox can be much cheaper in other countries, eg here in the US may be around $800-$1300, whereas South Korea could be like $20 or Mexico could be $200. And you can get facials and many many other types of treatments at the same time to bundle savings. Dental procedures are like this too, pretty much all procedures can be sourced internationally for cheaper and sometimes better care. Cost of something like SMILE or LASIK is like $500 in India and Thailand. And you can absolutely get reputable clinics all over.

The USA has some of the worst access to Healthcare in the world, and it's extremely expensive comparatively.

IsThisAnAI

•

And yet, a fight to SK is going to be more expensive than the elective procedures you choose that are typically not covered. For the rest insurance will be cheaper in most cases. Especially non elective procedures.

LustyArgonianMana

•

A flight to SK is $1k or so on Google Flights currently. Literally just getting a full round of botox and one facial will make up for that. Or getting botox, microneedling, PRP, and a good facial would cover the flight and hotel and you'd leave ahead financially. This also doesn't include stuff like Sculptra or other weight loss or cellulite targeting procedures which are thousands in the States.

Have you ever gotten a major medical procedure done in the US? Even "covered" by insurance, there are surprises, like the anesthesiologist being out of network. Surgery here can cost THOUSANDS before your deductible and coinsurance are met. Even with insurance, it is cheaper to get most procedures done elsewhere. And we have data that backs this up - the US is the most expensive place for all medical procedures. I know people who had to go to Mexico for chemo.

Valmond

•

Well it actually is. Special case for the Olympics.

Edit: so yes you wouldn't get it for free as a tourist. Maybe cheaper anyways though.

exanime

•

That's a difference with no distinction in this case

Don_Dickle

•

Did not read the article but what was wrong with her? I am currently stationed at a place where just the intake is 10k and that is just for doctors asking what is wrong and describing it. Don't let me get into if you need help how much that costs. I just know that at the coup;e hospitals I have been stationed at has a small sign behind the intake tests which list what all things cost. If lemmy hosted there own image sight I would take a picture of it.

JimmyBigSausage

•

You can reply with a photo here. It would help the discussion if you read the article.

motor_spirit

•

gonna be a relief when I don't have to wake up to this shit anymore lol what a disgusting world we live in

TheSealStartedIt

•

Not the whole world, my friend. That's kind of what the article is about. You have my sympathies though.

iamdisillusioned

•

I just got rejected by a primary care doctor because they "are not accepting new patients with PPO insurance". I spend extra on a PPO because when I had an HMO they let me see a doctor but the doctor wouldn't treat me because "insurance won't cover it". What an asinine system.

Sc00ter

•

"Is this a well visit or a sick visit? If you complain about something being wrong during your we'll visit, I have to charge you twice."