Avoiding the dreaded doctor?

[SomeRandom]

Something I hear often from my American pals is deliberately avoiding the hospital or doctor when in debilitating pain or in dire need of medication due to being uninsured or not having enough money.

I even saw it first hand when my cousin from California visited. He had what looked like a painful appendix (I’m no doctor, that’s just what he told me.) My first response was to call an ambulance but he tried everything he could to talk me out of it. I was beyond confused.
Incidentally he visited us again a couple years later and I was the one who had to go to the hospital. He was beyond worried for me, since at the time my family was living on my father’s pension. So it’s not like we were that well off. Again I was confused by his reaction. I visited the hospital. Stayed overnight had many tests done, but it was a false alarm. Cost me nothing. Didn’t even have to flash my Medicare card, it was an emergency so I strolled on out without a second thought.

So I’m curious of your perspectives on this fellow RFians. Have you avoided the doctors because you didn’t want to pay or didn’t have insurance?
Have many stories about such instances?

 

[sun rise]

We've been very fortunate in having good health insurance but it's not cheap. One year I paid something on the order of $10,000 in health insurance premiums. My wife had some serious medical issues and without that insurance we'd have been bankrupted or at least had our retirement savings basically wiped out.

In was not even half-a-loaf, but the Obama health care law has helped millions avoid that fate. The continuing efforts of the right wing to screw millions of Americans out of that little confirmed for me that their motto is "suffer and die losers" to those that can't afford care.

It also causes me to refer to not include the USA in the list of advanced countries.

 

[SomeRandom]

We've been very fortunate in having good health insurance but it's not cheap. One year I paid something on the order of $10,000 in health insurance premiums. My wife had some serious medical issues and without that insurance we'd have been bankrupted or at least had our retirement savings basically wiped out.

In was not even half-a-loaf, but the Obama health care law has helped millions avoid that fate. The continuing efforts of the right wing to screw millions of Americans out of that little confirmed for me that their motto is "suffer and die losers" to those that can't afford care.

It also causes me to refer to not include the USA in the list of advanced countries.

Wow. I don’t even think people pay that much for private health insurance here. That’s insane!

 

[ChristineM]

In the UK its free at the point of use if you have a National insurance number. The NHS gets paid out of national insurance which is around 12% of your wage.

In france the government pays between 15 and 85% of medical costs funded from taxation, the rest comes from compulsory private insurance. Hubby and i pay €2200 per year combined, its free for the kids.

Hubby had prostate cancer, the various bills came to over €120,000, cost to us €400 for the hire of new equipment that gave a better outcome, as yet not covered by government or private insurance.

 

[AlexanderG]

The US has the best health care in the world...if you have enough money. We also do the most medical research and pharmaceutical development in the world, which we seem to partially subsidize as US citizens, through our healthcare costs and taxes.

Still, the US is a major outlier among all other developed countries in that it doesn't offer free healthcare to everyone. We could totally afford to. At this point, healthcare should be considered a human right.

(My personal theory is that racism is the underlying reason we don't have a more robust social safety net in the US, but that is a whole other can of worms. Still, if you frame every political issue in terms of whether black people will benefit or suffer from it, the GOP's platform becomes suddenly consistent.)

 

[JustGeorge]

Oh yeah. I have a friend who badly needs mental health care(to the point she is unable to care for herself), but there's no way in hell she can afford it. And there's no way in hell she could afford the medication she obviously needs.

I didn't have health care until recent years(when health insurance laws started going into play). Couldn't afford it. Employers didn't offer it. I wouldn't go to the doctor unless it was an emergency. Even then, I couldn't afford the bill, and would end up getting sued over it. Before I had kids, they garnished my wages. After that, I was too far under the poverty level, so they no longer could.

Many poor Americans run around in miserable conditions before they'll see the doctor. Even a routine check up can be $200, and if you're living paycheck to paycheck, that's not doable.

 

[SomeRandom]

The US has the best health care in the world...if you have enough money. We also do the most medical research and pharmaceutical development in the world, which we seem to partially subsidize as US citizens, through our healthcare costs and taxes.

It is true that the US is a world leader when it comes to medical development. Indeed it’s reputation for research and development is indeed quite respectable and highly praised.
Unfortunately it’s also a world leader in getting patents put onto life saving medicine.
More than once someone from the UK, NZ and even my own country Australia has expressed incredulity at the cost of even basic needs in medication. Like diabetics paying in the US for life saving medication. When it’s either free or otherwise inexpensive elsewhere.
Or paying for an ambulance. Or indeed paying for the usage of an ER. Or cancer treatment. We tend to take it for granted that if you get sick you just go see the doctor and either pay nothing (if you’re on government benefits) or pay very little. Indeed US citizens spend approximately 250% more for medication when compared to the rest of the developed world. Last I checked anyway.
I

Still, the US is a major outlier among all other developed countries in that it doesn't offer free healthcare to everyone. We could totally afford to. At this point, healthcare should be considered a human right.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. It saddens me to see an extremely wealthy country treat it’s citizens so poorly

(My personal theory is that racism is the underlying reason we don't have a more robust social safety net in the US, but that is a whole other can of worms. Still, if you frame every political issue in terms of whether black people will benefit or suffer from it, the GOP's platform becomes suddenly consistent.)

Interesting theory. Can’t comment on its validity since I’m not American

 

[SomeRandom]

Oh yeah. I have a friend who badly needs mental health care(to the point she is unable to care for herself), but there's no way in hell she can afford it. And there's no way in hell she could afford the medication she obviously needs.

I didn't have health care until recent years(when health insurance laws started going into play). Couldn't afford it. Employers didn't offer it. I wouldn't go to the doctor unless it was an emergency. Even then, I couldn't afford the bill, and would end up getting sued over it. Before I had kids, they garnished my wages. After that, I was too far under the poverty level, so they no longer could.

Many poor Americans run around in miserable conditions before they'll see the doctor. Even a routine check up can be $200, and if you're living paycheck to paycheck, that's not doable.

That’s heartbreaking.
I mean I understand such hesitancy and I can somewhat relate. Since my parents were living on assistance.
But 200$ for a check up? That’s just… wow.
My GP charges 70 AUD and even then I get 35 back through Medicare.

On a somewhat related note (and others can chime in here as well) do you think that the US is missing COVID infection stats due to such hesitation?
Like here we’ve had government announcements about it because sometimes mild COVID infections were apparently being brushed off as mere colds by citizens. So the health authorities were concerned that infections were being underreported or missed as a result. And we don’t have that ingrained mentality of not seeing the doctor. Like mild infections we will self medicate but that’s because our over the counter medicine is pretty inexpensive.
Granted since the pandemic antibiotics have become a bit more scarce lol. But still

 

[Revoltingest]

I dislike doctors.
They invade my privacy.

 

[JustGeorge]

That’s heartbreaking.

On a somewhat related note (and others can chime in here as well) do you think that the US is missing COVID infection stats due to such hesitation?
Like here we’ve had government announcements about it because sometimes mild COVID infections were apparently being brushed off as mere colds by citizens. So the health authorities were concerned that infections were being underreported or missed as a result. And we don’t have that ingrained mentality of not seeing the doctor. Like mild infections we will self medicate but that’s because our over the counter medicine is pretty inexpensive.

I wouldn't be surprised. Many people won't see the doctor unless its direly needed. Even for those with insurance, sometimes the co-pay can be too expensive to make it worth it.

And doctors know it. My doctor was a deeply caring woman who retired recently. She was worried that I wouldn't see the doctor after she left. (I hadn't the heart to tell her I'd probably be a lot more hesitant.) Shoddy care is another thing; if a physician gets the idea you're poor(by the insurance you carry), you won't get the same quality if care you might otherwise. I had a dentist kick my son out of the chair because he was too much work. He quietly asked the receptionist what the insurance was, she told him government supplied, and he told us to take him somewhere else right then and there!

Looks matter, too. I've learned the hard way that no matter how sick I feel, I need to be dressed gloriously or my concerns will be written off. I had to be hospitalized once for heart issues, and I went in to the ER wearing a goth style dress. It took a long time for the docs to move past the idea that my episode wasn't drug induced. Even after I was admitted and in my room, the new doctor sneered at me about my looks and said "looks like you've been out partying!"

 

[SomeRandom]

I dislike doctors.
They invade my privacy.

Lol can’t argue with you there

 

[Watchmen]

I dislike doctors.
They invade my privacy.

How?

 

[JustGeorge]

How?

Well, I can tell you pap smears are a bit invasive...

I bet colonoscopies are about the same...

 

[SomeRandom]

I wouldn't be surprised. Many people won't see the doctor unless its direly needed. Even for those with insurance, sometimes the co-pay can be too expensive to make it worth it.

And doctors know it. My doctor was a deeply caring woman who retired recently. She was worried that I wouldn't see the doctor after she left. (I hadn't the heart to tell her I'd probably be a lot more hesitant.) Shoddy care is another thing; if a physician gets the idea you're poor(by the insurance you carry), you won't get the same quality if care you might otherwise. I had a dentist kick my son out of the chair because he was too much work. He quietly asked the receptionist what the insurance was, she told him government supplied, and he told us to take him somewhere else right then and there!

Looks matter, too. I've learned the hard way that no matter how sick I feel, I need to be dressed gloriously or my concerns will be written off. I had to be hospitalized once for heart issues, and I went in to the ER wearing a goth style dress. It took a long time for the docs to move past the idea that my episode wasn't drug induced. Even after I was admitted and in my room, the new doctor sneered at me about my looks and said "looks like you've been out partying!"

Wow.
I mean I’ve encountered rude nurses and doctors in my various brushes with medicine over the years. But you can tell it was because they were exhausted at the time. So I forgave them very quickly

I do hear complaints from friends that their Private health funds here are nothing but scams or simply used so people can get “alternative/eastern medicine.” (Acupuncture etc)
Which is interesting. I doubt they’d compare to your insurers though. They sound like the pinnacle of scam artists

 

[Watchmen]

Well, I can tell you pap smears are a bit invasive...

I bet colonoscopies are about the same...

It’s not an invasion of privacy if you consent to the procedure.

 

[JustGeorge]

It’s not an invasion of privacy if you consent to the procedure.

I know. Just being silly.

 

[Revoltingest]

How?

Personal questions.
Always wanting to see & touch things.

 

[SomeRandom]

Personal questions.
Always wanting to see & touch things.

And they always have such cold hands, amirite?!

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

In the UK its free at the point of use if you have a National insurance number. The NHS gets paid out of national insurance which is around 12% of your wage.

In france the government pays between 15 and 85% of medical costs funded from taxation, the rest comes from compulsory private insurance. Hubby and i pay €2200 per year combined, its free for the kids.

Hubby had prostate cancer, the various bills came to over €120,000, cost to us €400 for the hire of new equipment that gave a better outcome, as yet not covered by government or private insurance.

Here in Canada, we have universal healthcare. When I needed spine surgery (about $8,000 overall), my doctor and I made the decision to go ahead, with no need to ask "government" if we could, it happened within the week, and the cost to me was $0.

Bigger, when my lover came down with Guillaine-Barre Syndrome, he spent 8 1/2 MONTHS in hospital, getting immense amounts of care, drugs, surgery, ICU, physio -- it never seemed to end. Overall cost? At least $1,500,000. Home care (for another year) afterwards included someone coming 7 days a week to help get him up and dressed, make the bed, a few other things (depending on the care-giver's whim). Cost to us? The same $0 as my spine surgery.

The cost in taxes? The 10 percent of Canadian families with the lowest incomes will pay an average of about $471 for public health care insurance in 2020. The 10 percent of Canadian families who earn an average income of $65,522 will pay an average of $6,627 for public health care insurance, and the families among the top 10 percent of income earners in Canada will pay $39,731.

We're not perfect, and the system is getting a bit frayed and needs work -- but I'll stay here, thank you.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

My husband has relatively good health insurance thanks to his work, but our medical bills are still outrageous. It's depressing to be financially buried in medical bills. I've been in poor health for years, and I've seen a few doctors since my health went downhill.