And yet we can't agree on health care

[jenepel]

My brother just called me from the Emergency Room. They think he has appendicitis. He's getting a CT scan, and they will probably have to operate tonight.

He has no insurance. And yeah, that's stupid of him, and it's his own fault, yada yada. But, you know, he works in a restaurant, he earns like $15000 a year, and he's lived his entire life (bar the last three years) in a country where healthcare is free. He said he has looked into it, but he needed his health records from the UK and never kind of bothered to get them, and that it would be like $100 a month for the basic care, so he was putting it off. Stupid, yeah, but I get it. He's young, healthy, etc.

Fuck the fucking US health care system. He's looking at a $20000 bill for this operation, which means that my parents are looking at that bill (I guess) because it's not like he has the money. I can't even believe that you can go into a hospital and be sick through no fault of your own and have a necessary operation and it can freaking bankrupt you like that. It is so far out of my realm of experience that I will literally NEVER understand it.

I guess in a few years, if the new bill is good, he would have to get insurance, and it would be subsidised, because he must be low income. (And I think if I'm remembering right, that it starts at $40000 income and graduates down.)

BUT WHATEVER. Not like that helps him now. Hopefully he'll call back in a few hours and say the CT scan went alright (and cost him what, $2000 or so?) and that he doesn't need the operation. But it wasn't sounding good.

The ridiculous thing is that I should be thinking about how scary it is that he might be going in for an op like this, totally last minute, and all I can think of is the money. But $20000! That's terrifying. Fuck.

Comments

[dogearedhelen.livejournal.com]

I've never understood it either - the US is great in many ways, but I can't understand how (as you said), you can need urgent healthcare and possibly not get it because you don't have the money. Someone I know in LA wanted a home birth for her first child, but there were complications (short version is that her uterus slipped outside and she would have died if she hadn't been rushed to Cedars Sinai where they had a surgeon on call).

That was the person I was referring to in my wall post on your FB - she wasn't working and her husband earnt enough for their basic living costs, and they managed to get the bills written off. I forget how (or who with) now, as this was about 3 years ago. I can ask, if you like?

As you said, the NHS has its flaws and long waiting lists, but if push came to shove, I'd take the flawed service over one that might mean I have a bill I could never repay.

[bighugs] for you and everyone right now - for a speedy recovery, and for the worry you must all be feeling.

[jenepel.livejournal.com]

Sure, ask away if you get a chance! I think any and all advice will be helpful.

ITA on the NHS. It's been really good for my family and I will always defend it to people.