How much for that quick doctor’s visit?

[SomeRandom]

They wanted me to take the piercing out, but I wasn't willing to lose it. I used glass plugs for a while (glass doesn't hold bacteria), and took the meds they gave me for it.

My ear was swollen, and my ear/neck/jaw hurt from the infection. No bueno. @SomeRandom

Aww that sucks.
They removed mine, but I was in so much pain that I didn’t care

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Last time I had private insurance it was $75 dollars just to see the doctor, plus a $2,500 deductible. One medication my doctor prescribed I didn't get because with that insurance and some discount it was $400 for a months supply.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Like I said, no offence, but I’d rather my tax fund my hospital stays instead of paying my taxes, on top of paying for medical insurance, medical fees, consultant fees and medications if necessary.
If I want VIP treatment I can get insurance

It makes saving money very difficult when you aren't rich and are medically more needy than average.

 

[Trailblazer]

So I had a minor medical emergency today. Completely my fault, but had a new piecing that didn’t heal very well.
Let’s just say.
Long story short I had to get the piercing quickly (and professionally) removed, which is a shame because I thought it looked cute. Anyway I got a tetanus jab and some antibiotics for my strife.

All up the entire visit cost me $10 AUD, which was just for the antibiotics. Oh and I need to get some betadine solution from the grocery store, just to keep the area clean and sterilised until it heals.

I’m just wondering how much such a thing would cost a person elsewhere. If you are comfortable with sharing such a thing, of course. Mainly curious for my US brethren’s results, but anyone can answer, if they want.
And bonus question, do you think you paid too much lol

$30 copay for either a doctor visit or a visit to urgent care which is oven 24/7, and maybe about $10 for the antibiotics.
My annual deductible is only $125, and after that I have $30 copays for doctor visits/$50 for specialists and a small copay for medications.

I have Kaiser through my state job which is good health insurance.

 

[ChristineM]

France, a run of the mill GP visit is €25 which is refunded all except €1 handling charge paid to your bank account by the health services.

Wierd system but it works.

 

[Rival]

However much the NHS tax is that year.....

 

[PureX]

You pay more than the out of pocket cost.
One just doesn't notice it in taxes.

So do we. In fact, we pay double what the rest of the modern world pays overall for our crappy health care in the US. But by all means, defend our greed and stupidity. We certainly wouldn't want to try and do better. Especially if it means that lazy no good scum down the street get a penny of my tax dollar to improve their health!!!

 

[Vee]

Here in France the standard fee for a GP visit is 25€, for all doctors, everywhere. Social Security refunds part of that and my insurance the remaining. Overall it comes to 1 or 2€ out of my pocket.
Yes, we pay a lot of taxes in France, but our health system is pretty decent and affordable to all people, not just the well off. That's one thing I'm really happy about.

 

[Revoltingest]

But by all means, defend our greed and stupidity.

You shouldn't do this.

 

[PureX]

You shouldn't do this.

But Greed and stupidity are the reason that we pay so much more for so much less actual health care in the US. And defending it certainly isn't going to help. In fact, it's why we are still in this situation: people foolishly defending it. So I'm curious what exactly I shouldn't be doing. I shouldn't be pointing it out? Or I shouldn't be pointing it out to you? Or I shouldn't post anything that might Contradict your comment? Or I shouldn't be so direct about it? What? What rule am I breaking, here? What shouldn't I be doing? Because I honestly have no idea. I really don't. And is asking you something I shouldn't be doing, too? Please tell me what exactly what I shouldn't be doing. So I'll know.

 

[Revoltingest]

But Greed and stupidity are the reason that we pay so much more for so much less actual health care in the US. And defending it certainly isn't going to help. In fact, it's why we are still in this situation: people foolishly defending it. So I'm curious what exactly I shouldn't be doing. I shouldn't be pointing it out? Or I shouldn't be pointing it out to you? Or I shouldn't post anything that might Contradict your comment? Or I shouldn't be so direct about it? What? What rule am I breaking, here? What shouldn't I be doing? Because I honestly have no idea. I really don't. And is asking you something I shouldn't be doing, too? Please tell me what exactly what I shouldn't be doing. So I'll know.

I urge not advocating for corruption, greed, waste, & incompetence.

 

[Secret Chief]

Visit to the doctor? £0.00.

But then I live in a socialist dystopia.

 

[PureX]

I urge not advocating for corruption, greed, waste, & incompetence.

Who's advocating for it? I'm blaming it for why US citizens can't have reasonable, effective health care. The health care conglomerates bribe the politicians to make laws that force us to pay inflated prices for sub-standard health care. And then they lie to the many idiots among us and convince them they can't have and don't want anything better. Greed and stupidity. Plain and simple. And it's destroying us as a country and a people.

 

[Revoltingest]

Who's advocating for it? I'm blaming it for why US citizens can't have reasonable, effective health care. The health care conglomerates bribe the politicians to make laws that force us to pay inflated prices for sub-standard health care. And then they lie to the many idiots among us and convince them they can't have and don't want anything better. Greed and stupidity. Plain and simple. And it's destroying us as a country and a people.

OK then.

 

[Shaul]

Like I said, no offence, but I’d rather my tax fund my hospital stays instead of paying my taxes, on top of paying for medical insurance, medical fees, consultant fees and medications if necessary.
If I want VIP treatment I can get insurance

I guess you missed it. The 1% I pay is the total of all my medical taxes and my insurance premiums. In other words, you are paying twice as much for similar level of care. (Actually the catastrophic care coverage I have is most likely more than you have)

 

[Revoltingest]

...I’d rather my tax fund my hospital stays instead of paying my taxes, on top of paying for medical insurance, medical fees, consultant fees and medications if necessary.
If I want VIP treatment I can get insurance

That's better than what we have.
I don't blame greed, corruption, or profit for our woes.
It's a worse & more common problem, ie, a dysfunctional
government displaying a perfect storm of incompetence &
un-coordination. All designed by a committee of people
who oppose each other.

 

[Stevicus]

I think your system is based off how much your insurance agencies can make off their clients. Which admittedly is in the spirit of capitalism. But still.

Yeah, it's all a money game. They're in business to make money, and it creates a perception of mistrust and greed. And then they wonder why large segments of the population wantonly reject medical recommendations about masks and vaccines during a pandemic. I think a lot of people perceive the medical community and the healthcare industry as just in it for the money.

My grandfather thought along those lines. He thought less of doctors than he did of lawyers and politicians - and he didn't like them either. He figured they were all a bunch of crooks, and he immediately assumed that any test they recommended or any pill they prescribed was just some scam or money-making scheme. He lived to be 96, and was relatively active, healthy, and independent up until a couple of months at the end. So, refusing to go to the doctor didn't keep him from enjoying a long life.

We do have private healthcare insurance here in order to “jump the queue” but I think the idea is more “a citizen that lives is a better consumer than one who is dead” lol

It varies in America. Those who work in government tend to get rather lucrative benefit packages which cost them very little, while those who work in the private sector might get more of a hodgepodge of choices. Larger, more affluent corporations might be able to offer better deals to their employees, while the smaller businesses may not be able to afford it. The elderly and disabled get Medicare or Medicaid, depending on their situation, although at least in my state, they don't generally have to pay co-pays or deductibles (although it's a very tangled, bureaucratic system full of pitfalls, and it's not always that easy to navigate).

It probably hits hardest upon the working class, as they're considered to be working, earning income, and getting health insurance through their employer, so they don't get any kind of aid or assistance which is provided to the non-working poor. Companies see health insurance as an extra expense, and employees see it as more deducted from their already meager paycheck.

But they're just peasants, so who cares about those people? They're easily replaceable. In capitalist terms, the value of a human life is whatever the market will bear.

 

[SomeRandom]

I guess you missed it. The 1% I pay is the total of all my medical taxes and my insurance premiums. In other words, you are paying twice as much for similar level of care. (Actually the catastrophic care coverage I have is most likely more than you have)

And you still pay more, you realise that, right? My 2 percent covers both my yearly taxes as well as excess medical expenses. Your 1 percent is only for your medical expenses. On top of that you still pay your yearly taxes. Well I would hope so, lest you get a knock on the door from the government.

Sorry again, rather pay my taxes and not have to worry about insurance premiums, medical expenses and consultant fees. Than have to do both. Which is what I was getting at.

The US medical system is rather notorious for lower outcomes, but with much more individual costs. That’s not me saying that, that’s international studies of various kinds throughout the years. From think tanks to just global comparisons. The US on average has a lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality rate, lack of equitable access etc
No offence but the US has consistently ranked the lowest among the developed nations for years at this point.
How does the quality of the U.S. health system compare to other countries? - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker

Best Healthcare in the World 2022

Mirror, Mirror 2021: Reflecting Poorly.

 

[SomeRandom]

It makes saving money very difficult when you aren't rich and are medically more needy than average.

I was under the impression that there were (for lack of a better term) basic healthcare needs provided for dirt cheap for those with low incomes?
I haven’t heard the greatest things, but you guys don’t have any sort of safety net?

I think in Aus even our Medicare (our public healthcare system) has thresholds for low income families, service veterans, the elderly and children.
So in addition to the “refund” on your bulk billed visits, folks would get by default cheaper medication, lower “caps” on out of pocket expenses, any excess of which would be paid for by our public system for the rest of the year. Stuff like that.
Also any medical emergency is a freebie, so to speak. So just give your name and then leave when it’s safe. After picking any drugs prescribed, of course.
Like with my little medical drama, I don’t think I even signed in or out.

 

[Koldo]

So I had a minor medical emergency today. Completely my fault, but had a new piecing that didn’t heal very well.
Let’s just say.
Long story short I had to get the piercing quickly (and professionally) removed, which is a shame because I thought it looked cute. Anyway I got a tetanus jab and some antibiotics for my strife.

All up the entire visit cost me $10 AUD, which was just for the antibiotics. Oh and I need to get some betadine solution from the grocery store, just to keep the area clean and sterilised until it heals.

I’m just wondering how much such a thing would cost a person elsewhere. If you are comfortable with sharing such a thing, of course. Mainly curious for my US brethren’s results, but anyone can answer, if they want.
And bonus question, do you think you paid too much lol

Depends. I am from Brazil: Nothing at a public hospital, a lot in a private hospital unless you pay for a private health care plan.