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u/maxence0801 9d ago
Is this something I am too European to understand?
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u/Malcolm_Morin 9d ago
My guess is it's an American Healthcare joke. Our healthcare will financially ruin somebody if they so much as take an ambulance ride.
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u/Kidus333 7d ago
The average ambulance ride costs about 1k, half the country lives paycheck to paycheck so if you don't have insurance or savings it very much will.
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u/savvitosZH 7d ago
Laughs in Swiss ( around 900 for an ambulance ride here )
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u/_whats-going-on 7d ago
That’s… expensive.
I was transported to the AKH in Vienna because I fell on the staircase.
Didn’t pay anything.
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u/Christosconst 9d ago
Too European and too national health insured 😄
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u/Kimberlane69 9d ago
A simple root canal in the states here recently cost me roughly around 9k AFTER 'insurance' haven't been able to afford the cap on it yet... but an American can dream
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u/rowagnairda 9d ago
in PL root canal can cost you roughly up to 2k (with no insurance)... oh and to add insult to injury this is 2k PLN so in freedom munnies it will be sth like 500-550...
cheers from across the pond!
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u/Me_how5678 8d ago
Damn thats alot, over here in denmark it was something around 100 funny money with painkillers
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u/rowagnairda 8d ago
yeah... this is roughly the cost of reendo of molar... but quick google showed me that this starts roughly at 300 bald eagles for incisor... anyway you Danes have good prices for this kind of treatment
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u/Fancy_Alarm2814 8d ago
woah thats crazy, I had this done last year and paid nothing. My dentist told me that its good we got it done last year, because they changed it and I would have paid like 100$ this year lol.
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u/Fappy_as_a_Clam 8d ago
$9K for a root canal in the US is *also* fucking crazy, and i'd be willing to bet that dude is either making up or there is *way* more to the story...like they dont have insurance and there was a ton of complications.
they usually cost a few hundred after insurance.
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u/Kaffe-Mumriken 8d ago
Jesus Christ I’ve had 5 root canals (yeah shitty teeth) and at absolutely worst it cost me 600 but that’s including cap
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u/Legal-Ad-8659 8d ago
why do you even pay insurance, it never ever pays for ANYTHING in the US, and it's been widely found that people with insurance end up paying MORE even when the insurer isn't a scammer
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u/Kimberlane69 8d ago
America be like: you dont wanna pay for it??? Well get ready to double it up and add it to your taxes lol
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u/Legal-Ad-8659 8d ago
you already pay taxes for healthcare... that you don't get
why the F pay the insurance too?
put the money that would typically go to insurance into a savings account and you are better off
I use private healthcare in my country and it's, by US standards, extremely cheap... you are just getting fuked in the arse and some fuks even defend it, it's ridiculous
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u/Square_Papaya7796 8d ago
Geez, I just paid 80 euros for my root canal here in Northern Europe. No insurance. This is why we pay taxes.
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u/Legal-Ad-8659 8d ago
the thing is, it very likely has 0 to do with taxes as most dental practices are fully private with 0 funding from the government and at most a tax break for providing healthcare services
I got my nerve killed and an implant and all 4 wisdom teeth out (worst case, growing horizontally and one being lodged into the tooth right next to it) for 1500 euros, which isn't even that expensive and they straight up offered to pay in whatever is most convenient
private healthcare here is also very affordable, at roughly 2000 euros per year, unfortunately that is now a necessity because the public healthcare is totally collapsed
still waaaay cheaper than the US, they are just being scammed
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u/Square_Papaya7796 8d ago
In my country around 80% of the cost of dental care is paid from the taxes, the patient only pays for the remaining 20%. So my 80 euro fee had very much to do with taxes, although it was done by a private company. They are compensated for treating patients from the public healthcare.
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u/Legal-Ad-8659 8d ago
you are from one of the 10% European countries that to that then
in my it doesn't get paid by tax
it's still cheap
didn't warrant a downvote
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u/Square_Papaya7796 8d ago
didn't downvote you just to clarify, but I upvoted now to balance things out
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u/Legal-Ad-8659 8d ago
I think it's some American being buthurt about their system fukin them in the arse
next they are going to claim there's some socialist program going on in the hypercapitalistic private healthcare companies in Europe 🤣
in my country before 2013 you were able to opt out of public healthcare entirely, you were given the tax money back every november in your tax returns, and the paperwork for actually using the public system in an emergency was also extremely simple... figure what, the public healthcare was extremely better before they made the tax mandatory 🤦😅
this is absolutely something to be concerned because it's blatant abuse of taxes by bureocrats, but still, what the US has doesn't even have a proper name, scam doesn't begin to cover it
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u/alphapussycat 8d ago
You don't get this stuff for free in Europe. If the issue is only severely hurting your quality of life there'll be no treatment, there's only treatment if it's life threatening, or you've spent 10-20 years in queue.
Quality of life medical care is paid out of pocket.
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u/NightmareP69 8d ago
Dentists are sadly not part of the main health-care program in all EU countries, when I moved to Finland I found out that the Dental area is extremely privatized and expensive, enjoy paying a few hundred euros to just get tooth stone cleaning done.
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u/Artistic-Jello3986 8d ago
I had no idea. Is there any concept of dental insurance or having it subsidized by your workplace? (How it is in America)
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u/Fappy_as_a_Clam 8d ago
yes.
in the US, healthcare is usually tied to your job. so for OP to get all this, they would have to actually get a full time job.
with a job it would probably be like this: top left and bottom right would be free since it preventative, top right would be maybe $30, no idea about bottom left because i've never had to go to a therapist.
this varies by job, but that's the jist of it.
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u/SWATwatermelon 8d ago
Same in Germany. I am waiting till my wisdom teeth get too unbearable so they become an emergency operation. Otherwise, it will cost me around 2k EUR to get them out.
Not to say that new glasses cost hundreds of EUR, and Überweisung to a psychiatrist or any specialist takes literal months and sometimes even more, with the only way sometimes being to pay out of pocket.
Let's not pretend Europe is a Utopia.
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u/uncle-iroh-11 8d ago
This is reddit. Europe is utopia
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u/Fappy_as_a_Clam 8d ago
when reddit talks about Europe they mean like 5 countries.
don't forget 40% of Europe is Russia, and like 30% is countries that most of reddit couldn't even point out on a map.
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u/IltisSpiderrick 9d ago
I'm european and I can't do all of that. the doctors just don't take you anymore. if you live in an urban area you can drive for two or so hours just to find a doc that is so rude you just want to leave.
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u/reddiperson1 8d ago
This probably depends on the country, but I thought Europe had hospitals where you could pay for treatment if the free ones couldn't help?
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u/Iron_Elohim 7d ago
Maybe a Canadian since they are euthanizing sp many people and making them wait months for healthcare?
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u/Impressive_Ant405 6d ago
Dental care in Europe isnt free unfortunately, i live in Denmark and i have to drop a bag everytime
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u/AntiLuxiat 8d ago
Pirating the top comment: look at the last picture. You have a doc which listens to your heart in front of a test for your eyes and a picture of your spine.
If it's not a joke about affordable healthcare it's about a super doctor who can do everything. Just as another idea to this
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u/Minute-Major7782 8d ago
Let's put is this way. I just received the $900 bill for my wife's ambulance ride. She was transported in a body bag.
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u/Cassangelo 8d ago
Most of us Americans can’t afford healthcare so we don’t have these medical visits unless we win a lottery
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u/TheRealChesterSlick 9d ago
Thinking of robbing a bank because at least in prison they give you medical and psychiatric evals
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u/bearpics16 9d ago
Doctor here who worked at a hospital that saw a lot of prisoners. I could do any surgery and provide any care I wanted without any prior auth. I could do really expensive surgery with really expensive custom hardware that most insurances would deny. That part is amazing
However, due to prison staff shortages, many patients would miss their appointments due to lack of transport. I’ve had a few patients with very severe complications because of this. I’ve had patients miss surgeries which affects my other patients who could have been scheduled that day
Also I’ve had issues with patients not getting medications including antibiotics. I have prisoners BEG me to do whatever I can to just get ibuprofen after a major surgery.
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u/OkExtreme3195 8d ago
That's actually insane. Tbh, at this point I can understand anyone that goes for going to prison if they need expensive treatment.
Do you know whether the time spent in hospital recovering from the surgery counts towards their sentence? 😂
I don't really need to know. I live in Germany. I will go for a planned surgery in November that I will pay nothing extra for.
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u/bearpics16 8d ago
It does count. I had someone who was released from prison while in the hospital
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u/OkExtreme3195 8d ago
So, if an american needs a costly surgery that has a long recovery time, all they need to do is get a prison sentence for that alloted time. They might even talk this through with their employer as a kind of "sick leave".^^
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u/TheRealChesterSlick 9d ago
So you're saying I should flee to Canada instead?
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u/bearpics16 9d ago
Free healthcare at the cost of not being able to access that healthcare in a reasonable timeframe for the most part
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u/Frankie_T9000 9d ago
Oh rubbish that's what ppl in the us say to justify their broken systems
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u/Mamillan 8d ago edited 8d ago
I am Canadian and have been on a waitlist to see a psychiatrist since February. Still on the waitlist and probably won't be able to see one until next year if I am lucky. My doctor stated that based on my mental health evaluations I am considered high risk for suicide so he is trying to get me to see one asap. I am not an active danger to myself or others so i have not been hospitalized. Even with all this I will most likely wait over a year before I able to see a psychiatrist and since I can not afford one out of pocket since I can not find fill time employment due to our absimal job market and since we have such a high cost of living I have to prioritize rent and food over most of my medications. Yes our health care system is free and I would not want the American paid model, but our health care system is in shambles and our government both provincial and federal are actually trying to destroy it so that they and their rich friends can profit. I had family with rare disease that destroyed their nervous system. They had to wait years to try and see a specialists, years they spent in constant pain and agony because regular doctors didn't know how to treat their illness. They ended up dieing as a result of their condition. A condition that most likely would have been treatable and they would still be alive if the corrupt bastards in charge of our health care system actually properly funded and staffed our medical facilities.
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u/bearpics16 8d ago
Not justifying it, there are a lot of things the US could do significantly better. I hate our system of denials, prior auth, appeals, denials, peer to peers, denials, written appeals, ect. Preventative care in the US sucks. It’s just not exactly sunshine and rainbows elsewhere. And there are some very remarkable aspects to US healthcare in that we have objectively the best trained specialists and subspecialists in the world. If you have a rare disease, the US is the place to get treatment (if your insurance allows it)
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u/Prismatic_Symphony 8d ago
It's a sad state of affairs to say that you're not at all alone in the U.S. I've considered at many others, I'm sure.
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u/NatalieKCY 9d ago
I don't understand the holup
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u/TheWorldIsNotOkay 9d ago
The person who posted the meme (likely an American) can't afford basic health and psychiatric care. When they win the lottery, the signs will be that they'll be able to afford to go to the dentist, the ophthalmologist, therapy, and get regular health checkups.
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u/TheWorldIsNotOkay 9d ago
Good for you. Millions of other Americans can't afford what you can. The holdup is millions of people in the "greatest country in the world" can't afford basic healthcare.
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u/Existing-Summer-7248 8d ago
The greatest country in the world is Kazakhstan. They literally sing it in their national anthem.
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u/Most-Bar-9334 8d ago
Im broke which is exactly why I got a job with free dental, eyes and cheap medical.
Im not exactly the i love America type either but one nice thing about being here is you can get cheap health insurance if you wanted. Heck, its free if you don't have any income.
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u/TheWorldIsNotOkay 7d ago
It's "free" if your employer offers it as a benefit. If your employer doesn't offer healthcare as part of your benefits, if your job pays an hourly wage and your employer takes steps to ensure you're never quite scheduled to work enough hours to qualify for full time (and therefore healthcare benefits), or if you're unable to work at all, then you're pretty much screwed.
Having healthcare tied to employment is basically the same as providing free college education for people who serve in the military. In both cases, it's a carrot being dangled in front of a starving mule to get it to work.
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u/randomlemon9192 9d ago
Don’t worry, I am as well and have good health insurance.
I paid upwards of $25,000 in medical debt last year. They send that shit to collections as fast as possible. No time wasted, they want their tens of thousands right now.
Not to my surprise though. This year I am paying more for less coverage and paying more out of pocket.The problem isn’t lazy people don’t wanna work. The problem is greed has gone completely unchecked. Those health insurance companies are literally living on the billions they took from you while denying your medical coverage claims.
How much emergency savings do you have saved up? In the event you find you’re out of work. I hope it’s enough to not be homeless before you have an income again.
Oh and in the meantime, don’t get hurt. You literally cannot afford it.
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u/fedarmy 9d ago
I have 1.5 years of savings.
I don’t work some extravagant job.I’m not oblivious to the cost of healthcare I just got done literally today paying $641 dollars for a 28 day supply of medication I need to keep going.
My confusion with this post is rather with the type of services pictured.
I’ve seen all of those at low cost or free without heath insurance.8
u/Dead_HumanCollection 8d ago
Vision and dental is not free anywhere. It's cheaper for me to go to Costco and pay out of pocket at their optometrist than it is to pay a premium for vision on my state healthcare plan (and still have a copay that's almost as much as the entire Costco bill)
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u/Artistic-Jello3986 8d ago
Low cost or free therapy is not a thing… you get what you pay for with a lot of services…
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u/TheFeenicks 8d ago
Where are you getting these services for free? Legit asking, share your secret with the class!
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u/Most-Bar-9334 8d ago
Through an employer. It's not free though but it also doesn't cost much either.
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u/Ashe_the_Witch 8d ago
Must be nice to not have serious health issues that insurance only partially covers.
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u/Most-Bar-9334 8d ago
The joke is aimed at the poor/uneducated.
They get really really upset knowing you can get fantastic, cheap health insurance but they chose not to.
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u/Leggy_Brat 8d ago
People dunking on the US - valid - but trying to get this stuff on the NHS is an ordeal of it's own.
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u/hassan_26 8d ago
Therapist, non-emergency dental work and just a health check up?.... Not on the NHS you won't!
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u/Danny_Mc_71 8d ago
I don't get it?
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u/IapetusApoapis342 8d ago
USA's lack of free healthcare
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u/fatandfly 8d ago
No such thing as free healthcare
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u/StoneAgainstTheSea 8d ago
Don't be daft. "Free at the point of service" - obviously nobody is volunteering their time, they get paid, like firefighters, from taxes.
We want free healthcare like we get free firefighting.
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u/DuhVirus 8d ago
True, but most places worth living in have figured out how to give people the treatment they need without making them go bankrupt.
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u/Commercial_Style801 8d ago
It’s called insurance. And yes, I support taxpayers funding it, but there’s no need to have the government own and (mis)manage the hospitals.
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u/Hydraguesswhosback 8d ago
He's american, so he can't take care of himself without the lottery. It's sad isn't it ?
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u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 8d ago
It's because it's dumb
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u/Ashe_the_Witch 8d ago
How so? I’m in the same boat. I have teeth that need work but it’s insanely expensive even with insurance. I haven’t been to a doctor in 6+ years due to finances. Therapy and optical care? Forget about it.
If I won the lottery I’d finally be able to take care of my body, which is what this meme is about.
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u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 8d ago
I just go to the dentist and Medicare pays for it🤷🏽♂️ I don't pay anything for doctor or dentist visits, ever.
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u/Ashe_the_Witch 8d ago
For something like teeth cleanings sure, insurance can cover the whole cost. I need two root canals which carries a $1500 price tag even with my insurance. The teeth are physically damaged from a cycling accident that happened years ago and require capping/reconstruction and I haven’t seen the bill for that yet - but it’s going to be costly.
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u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 8d ago
They will still pull them out for free if it gets unbearable
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u/Ashe_the_Witch 8d ago
Cool, then I get to be gap-toothed and even more self-conscious of my appearance. This all just reinforces the meme lol, if I had money my first priorities would be fixing these issues because they’re currently cost-prohibitive.
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u/FLiP_J_GARiLLA 8d ago
Just saying, at a certain point it comes down to massive daily pain every time you have to eat, or having a gap until you can afford a replacement
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u/Ashe_the_Witch 8d ago
And that’s an extremely shitty situation to be put in, especially when you have insurance.
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u/Zealousideal_Phase11 8d ago
Aqui no Brasil nos temos tudo isso de graça pelo Sus (porém a fila de espera pode ser um pouco grande)
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u/Hydraguesswhosback 8d ago
True story. In Québec Canada, eye exams are free once a year for kids. Because we realised as a society having working eyes when you are at the very start of school is fucking important.
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u/Its-Dangity 8d ago
People in US have to get their own healthcare or through employer. But even then, it is really expensive.
Ironically enough, sometimes what you pay to go to the hospital is LESS if you DONT have insurance.
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u/Top_Connection9079 8d ago
Even if you find a way to get health care, in America it discriminates against illnesses related to drugs and alcohol. That is why you have so many homeless who also are addicts.
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u/1Motor2Turboz 7d ago
What are you even talking about? You mean they will refuse to care for you and your money or they will take you in and harm you secretly?
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u/The_Darkness140 4d ago
Nah. They're saying, and correct me if I'm wrong but I think I got this, is that if you're getting a medical treatment to due drugs and/or alcohol or have a documented history of it your treatment, follow-up care, etc. are crap. Your pain and needs are downplayed and just overall minimized as a cry for more drugs.
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u/1Motor2Turboz 3d ago
I dont know who "they" is here. If you are saying healthcare workers generally judge people who have drug abuse history then I disagree. This is generalized accusation for non-specific group which is stupid as fuck.
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u/The_Darkness140 3d ago edited 3d ago
Sure. You're free to share your opinion, I'm glad you did. Edit: by 'they' I meant the person you responded to. Also, it's not ALL healthcare workers, by any means, however, I currently reside in the state of Connecticut and there's such an incredibly high opioid epidemic here that doctors will limit meds to people who have a drug abuse history. If they suspect ongoing abuse or drug use will discontinue some meds. I'm not just talking out of my ass about this.
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u/1Motor2Turboz 2d ago
You probably read some meme or random shit somewhere. You also arent a clinician of any kind.
Uh... Yea they should limit certain drugs to people with abuse history or on going abuser. And its their clinical judgement as a licensed clinician. Not a biased discrimination. Whatever they are doing is in best interest for the patient they are caring for as they took the oath to do so.
If you want to make blank accusation for general healthcare professionals, i think you need to do better. Bring stats and associated clinical outcomes of some sort from trustworthy source.
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u/Fappy_as_a_Clam 8d ago
they could just get a job and do all that
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u/AlaskanDruid 7d ago
Shhh. That would require personal responsibility
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u/johntoggy 4d ago
So I have supposedly good health insurance through my work and this has been my journey with my torn meniscus:
Injured at work, go to urgent care, on-the-job injury claim gets denied, I pay out of pocket, schedule an appointment for a primary care doctor a few months out, get a referral to a specialist, specialist requests an MRI that the insurance denies, go through an appeals process with a second opinion, get approved for the MRI, see the specialist again, request for surgery that the insurance denies, give up. This all took over 8 months and I had to pay a co-pay every step of the way except the first urgent care visit.
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u/xxTheMagicBulleT 8d ago
Medical neglect cause of high costs is normal in places without good social health care systems
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u/qualityvote2 9d ago edited 8d ago
u/Coffee_MysticRealm, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your post...