Why is medical care so expensive?
What is it that makes healthcare so expensive? I know it's not the doctors. The doctors get their share, sure, HOWEVER the bills that come through are so absurd. For example our daughter was sent on a 3 ambulance ride from one hospital to another and the bill was over $2000. I could've thrown her in the back of our car for 1/1000 th of that fee. A reasonable price for this service should've been $500 at most. Another time our daughter went to the ER. The doctor only saw her for less than 15 minutes and his fee was $188. The fee for the ER visit as a whole was even more than that, I believe several thousand. A reasonable price for 15 minutes of the doctors time would've been $75, and the ER visit should've been no more than $750. WHO IS GETTING THIS MONEY? On a $1000 bill where does the money go? How is it split up? I realize this question is on some level "hypothetical", but really I would like to know. The cost of healthcare does not match up with the actual services and tools being used. Please don't say that it goes to the malpractice insurance companies. I do know that they get some, but I don't buy the idea that THEY ALONE are the reason why health care services are so expensive.
How does the current health care system in America work?
I know there is a huge debate about universal health care and such on health care reform in America. But what is it that makes sparked this reform? How does the current system work and what it wrong with it? I'm trying to find the answers online, but I can't find anything that can answer my question. Thank you for all responses!
For all you Canadians out there..How is your medical care?
I think it is pretty good personally. I am a mother of three children. I am grateful they are pretty healthy. We do have a family doctor, but she works 2 hours away. We can always go to an afterhours clinic if we need to. That actually is quite a pain because the line-up waiting to get in it is huge and outside. When they finally unlock the door and let everyone in, they usually lock it up again and tell everyone else, sorry, it's full and the doctor can only see this many patients in the two hours the clinic is open. This is incredibly difficult for sick people and seniors and for parents with tiny children to have to be waiting outside in the winter weather for an hour or more to see a doctor. Now, I usually go to the emerg with the kids when it's bad weather so I can avoid this. But it's because there isn't enough doctors around for all the citizens. If we had more doctors the care would be easier to come by. The ones that are working are so stressed out and over worked. I really appreciate the ones that are still at it. The ones I've been to are great. I am happy that anyone here in Canada can see a doctor for free. That is good. You just may have to wait a while to see them.
Will insurance pay for a 75 year old white male in fair health get a heart transplant?
Former Vice President Dick Cheney got a heart transplant. I asked a cardiologist about that. He told me that the older the patient, the greater the risk and complexity of the transplant. Many older patients do not have heart failure without other complicating factors. 70+ year olds do have heart transplants but from donor lists who are also over 70.Some transplant programs are dealing with this concern by trying to match older patients with hearts from older donors that are not appropriate for younger patients.About 15 years ago, Ronald Reagan U.C.L.A. Medical Center began creating alternative lists of patients who were not considered good candidates for heart transplants because of their age. Instead of turning down patients who needed the procedure, doctors decided to give them donor hearts that had been rejected by other institutions (often from older donors).“We believe this is an avenue for potentially offering a lifesaving therapy” to older patients without taking hearts from younger patients, said Dr. Abbas Ardehali, director of U.C.L.A.’s heart and lung transplant program. All patients 72 and older go into the alternative transplant program; those who are younger are eligible for hearts from the standard organ pool.U.C.L.A. has transplanted 260 hearts in people 65 and older, more than any other center, since 1988.Log In - New York Times
Can a 70-year old get health insurance in the USA?
If you are just visiting you will need to purchase a travel insurance policy that includes medical coverage and medical evacuation coverage. The healthcare coverage from your country will likely NOT be applicable here. Even coming over for the day from Canada could result in an issue if you are injured. You will get life saving care, and will be stabilized, and evacuated back to Canada. However, you will be billed for all charges and they will pursue your assets. Basically, assuming your country as thus option, you end up in bankruptcy.If you are immigrating here at 70, you will become eligible for Medicare after residency is established i am not sure of all the rules. It does cover quite a bit. Additionally, if you are poor, you will also be eligible for Medicaid to help cover the gaps that Medicare does not cover. While not as good as the European or Canadian Systems (from what I've heard), you are covered in these situations.
What, in detail, is Obamacare and why is it criticised?
Details are too long, in shortIt is a law governing what private health insurance companies can market and call the policy “credible”It removes the ability of private insurance companies to deny anyone coverage even if they have a preexisting health issue.It makes health insurance from private companies available to every American at standard rates regardless of gender or state of health.It allows health insurance companies to step rate their policies so standard rates for younger Americans is less than for older Americans.It removes lifetime caps on an individual's health payments by the insurance companies.It has low income subsidies for Americans who qualify.There is a better balance between rates for older and younger Americans. Older Americans generally pay less than before the ACA for a Major Medical “credible” policy and younger pay more than they did before the ACA was enacted.The law was enacted by a Democrat President and a Democrat Congress.The Democrats did a poor job of explaining the benefits the ACA would have for to ALL Americans over the course of their lifetime and Republicans did an excellent job of misleading the public by distribution of a daily dose of misinformation through a network of right wing media outlets like FOX, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly etc.The distribution of information by both parties did a disservice to the American public. the Republicans were far more successful in spreading misinformation than the Democrats were in informing the public of the great benefit the ACA would be to All.