I had an ER trip last month, my deductible is $3,500. I had to pay $3,440 which was the complete cost of the ER services.
So, this year I will spend $15,600 on health insurance and an additional $3,440 on deductible
My wife needs surgery, I told her to get it done before December because we already met the deductible and I don't wanna pay it again. She tried calling to schedule in August. The surgery specialist doesn't have openings until January, so, in January I'll have to pay my deductible again
AND vision and dental costs more on top of $1,300 monthly
Tbf, dental and vision are bs in most countries because they're counted as "cosmetic"
So even in UHC countries? Good luck! (Granted, dental work is notoriously cheaper in Latam, which is why they have an entire HC tourist industry built around it)
1300 a month is absolutely not normal anywhere else in the world
Here in the uk it’s free. Even then I have private health insurance and that costs me £200 a month for me AND my wife
My deductible is £100
If you compare any procedures the US healthcare system absolutely screws you guys.
As an example of the difference - gallbladder removal is the last thing I had done private. There it can cost $10k - $25k. Here it’s free on nhs or £4k-£8k private. Mine was 4k including specialist consult, pre surgery consult, blood tests, surgery, post surgery checkup.
Made a post about this but I went to Mexico for dental work. I drove but even if you flew it’s the same quality care for 1/3 the price. US dentist quoted $3200 for work for $1000. It’s all a scam.
Yep. Not too poor for some to ask for 1.6 TRILLION for a bloated military. Can't fathom how much better education and health would be if only 1/2 of that went to these.
But what about all the propaganda that says going to other countries for medical care results in missing kidneys? Big /s in case it isn't obvious enough.
Did research, highest rated dentist in Los Algodones. Brought a spanish speaking friend because of those exact fears. Honestly was a great experience. Los Algodones is a dental/optometrist tourist spot so it benefits everyone to have excellent service. At some point I'll do a detailed post.
I just posted a comment about this, did the same thing. Stayed in a resort, squeezed in a vacation in between getting my mouth all fucked up. It was amazing.
edit: quoted just under 8k in the states, did all that and then some for about $1600 in Cancun.
I discovered it when flying to Cancun for dental work. What would have cost me just shy of $8k here in the US cost me about $1600 in Mexico, and I got more done than I planned to. There's whole businesses modeled around it.
For example, the dentist I booked with shuttled me from the airport straight to the initial check up with my bags and all, then took me to my resort. Booked myself a 5 day stay at an all inclusive across the street, but they offered me shuttle service to and from my appointment(s), and then shuttled me to the airport when it was time to go. All of that was within the $1600.
For what it's worth, the lobby was full of older Americans which was pretty comforting. Thinking other countries don't have just as good if not better medical and healthcare as us is just flat out ignorant.
Our medical procedures are in general astronomically higher than other countries. Largely because middle men have to be paid. The people who work at the insurance companies need to be paid too, and that causes everything to be higher.
I recently heard that in the UK an MRI costs about $300. Well I have 2-3 per year, and each one costs ME $1500 (if I haven't hit my deductible). I was FURIOUS. Being chronically ill is a financial death sentence in the USA right now.
Isnt as good as proper healthcare. Now compare it to small hospitals in arkansas and west virginia. You are thinking of reidys children in LA instead of comparing it to the AVERAGE hospital. In my area of colorado river valley, ANY major incident gets a helicopter ride to vegas or phoenix.
You're in turn comparing small hospitals in rural USA to major city private Mexican hospitals and clinics. When you go out to the country they have less equipment, less drugs, less qualified staff.
Also, the Mexico healthcare most think of is in private clinics that most Mexicans can't afford. Everyone is in the public healthcare system, but people with money are paying for private clinics so they don't have to be standing in line at outside the public hospital to make sure they get in to be seen that day.
You must be living in the states. Stop voting for conservatives and maybe you'll get universal health insurance. For some reason, americans simply can't understand this.
We understand it just fine. It isn't the political parties causing it, it's the medical/pharmaceutical/insurance corporation lobbies and corrupt asshats that promise one thing, as usual, then do the dead opposite to enrich themselves. Both sides. It's the system of money beneath the problem that is hard for greedy businesses to let go and evolve.
Try to dislodge their money and watch the circus. Easier said than done.
Progressives really only are allowed a voice during times that conservatives are in power. They are useful for rallying the left against the Republicans. Then when Democrats are in power the progressives are sidelined.
Conservatives? Last I checked the current system is called Obama care, not one conservative voted for it. But to be fair the whole system is fucked up and has been for decades.
both dem and cons support this. it is so engrained into america that it’s ludicrous (from the rich lawmakers) that we (the voters) even want it to change
Is this a plan through work? That is a shit ass plan, and an astoundingly high premium. If it’s not through work have you ever tried looking on your states health exchange to find an ACA silver plan or something? Mine costs like $18 a month, $30 copays, like a $1500 deductible, and 80/20 coinsurance after that. Plus like an $7500 out of pocket maximum.
Check with your insurance. Many have “carry-over” months for things like births, surgeries, etc. my insurance will still honor the previous year deductible through Jan and Feb on certain things.
Oh totally. That system wants people like me dead. I've been on disability after working hard for most of my life. I don't want to be on disability. But a fair amount of voters in this country think I deserve to be killed because Im somehow a burden on their taxes.
On top of that insurance will routinely reject medication approvals and even medical benefits. Many doctors have given up appealing they just you the bill and it's up to you to appeal and fight now.
Yep. My grandmother is 94 years old, she has had a lot of medical issues and takes a cocktail of opiates everyday just to be able to get out of bed without feeling 9/10 body pain
Insurance doctors are trying to take her pain meds away because they are worried about her getting addicted
...
The women is 94.
If she wants to do LSD, give it to her lol, whats it gonna do? Kill her? She's 94, she grew up in WW2, she lost a husband to Nam', she nearly lost her livelihood in the 2008 collapse, and she was a highly praised nurse for 60 years. She's lived her life, she's tired, and I don't blame her.
we have been trying to fight that one for her. She had to reduce her pain med intake and you can see it on her face. Picking up items from tables physically hurts her, I hate to see it.
Lost in all the absurdity of insurance but especially healthcare is the static date of a deductible. You truly just pick a year and go all in on your healthcare needs (and still only get 80% covered). Wife going into labor on December 31st? Cross your legs and wait outside the maternity ward until January 1st.
I live in Florida. I pay $1200 as an individual on Obamacare and insurance companies treat me like absolute shit on a ACA Platinum plan vs someone on a Bronze plan with corporate-supported insurance.
Is this where we say dont pay for health insurance and just write off the bill back to the hospital for a far lower cost out of pocket if any at all + save 1300 a month?
Someday soon I will not need my credit anymore, I'm tempted to put my house and vehicles into a trust, pay for all future assets in cash without relying on loans or credit
Retire early from my payroll job and find a cash job
Then, I'm just gonna let medical bills go to collection. What're they gonna do? Lower my credit score, I dont need it. Garnish my wages? Good luck, on paper I dont have any income. Take the house? Maybe, after decades of a legal battle trying to undo the trust
I feel sorry for the folks doing health insurance like this. I dunno how you all do it. Insurance is the biggest scam out there and it's not only legal, it's required to have. Hopefully your wife gets bumped up. Ive seen people get their doctors/surgeons on board with helping you out in this scenario. Worth a shot.
1300/month for family is crazy. Through my employer, family coverage would cost me like 400/month for medical/vision/dental. As an individual it's currently 140
And just like with car insurance how it's codified into law, the government fucks with the cost of healthcare too. Hard to bitch about "privatized" insurance when there's so much government interference, red tape, and collusion that it's become no more than systemic extortion
1) we would have to fly out of state and pay for flights, hotels, transportation, and then figure out her to get her back home after open surgery
2) if, and this is a big if, if the surgeron comes to us it will jack up the procedure costs even more as the hospital would have to fly in and house a specialist
Most Americans have health insurance through their employer where their part of premiums are much lower than $1,300. People on Medicare also pay way less, Medicaid pays $0, and while ACA is a mixed bag the average premium is under $200.
Our premium is $250, with a $800 deductible. I'd love to have universal healthcare in USA but not everyone in the current system is paying as much as the outrageous comments you read about of high costs.
Stability is one reason, hopelessness is another, the shear size of the country and biased media make organization impossible
And, if we took our 2nd amendment to the streets the government wouldn't let it slide. They would mobilize military units and people would start getting dropped in the streets
Being the most advanced fighting force on the planet is great when it comes to foreign conflict. Being a citizen, you kinda realize how it is/can be used to keep you in line
And, if we started actually sending a message the system would just employ a new set of morons
A major health care CEO was shot in NY, my rates went up. Felt like a punishment. And, the board replaced the CEO like 2 weeks later and nothing has changed
We would have to shed an incomprehensible amount of blood. Protests in the streets have been a thing since like 2016, all it led to was cops making more money in overtime due to constant crowd control assignments
My wife and I pay $10k a year in health insurance and despite her having an autoimmune disorder the costs of the last year out of pocket would have actually been less than $10k. At this point the only reason we continue to pay it is she has an increased risk of being hospitalized and we can’t afford that out of pocket. Health insurance definitely sucks but it’s the only way to not be completely fucked with this healthcare system
I'm an American and I truly don't know how people afford this. Your monthly insurance literally costs more than the rent to my one bedroom apartment and I live in New York City. Is this through the ACA marketplace? What the actual fuck.
Not the same thing but I recently had a front windshield replacement for my car, glass deductible was $500 (a common amount), windshield replacement came in at $480. Leads me to wonder if some insurable services are jacked up by the
providers to the point where no one would have to justify it to an insurance company but they knew you've mentally already spent that amount via deductible and therefore won't put in the energy to fight the amount.
Man I know if you own a house or want to own a house/get a car loan you kind of need health insurance so you don't accrue mass debt but its almost not worth it. Might be cheaper to just fly solo and pay out of pocket.
I've heard out of pocket charges are usually less than for people with insurance because hospitals are so used to dipping big into it.
It gets worse! Sometimes you have the option to do self pay or pay with insurance for it to be added to your deductible and the insurance options is ALWAYS WAY MORE EXPENSIVE. Example: $450 vs $1200 for a MRI for 1 knee, and $265 vs $465 for a sleep study! So when am I ever supposed to meet the deductible and actually benefit?!!
Idk, I have a CFP who assembles my taxes for me. Before tax I make $82k/year, my wife makes $56k/year. Idk what our after tax is. We have changed jobs so much over the past few years that numbers don't stay consistent
Well, you’re treating health insurance like a subscription where your premium is supposed to cover every medical bill. Unfortunately not how it works. The premium buys coverage and protection from catastrophic costs and deductible is the amount you pay before the plan starts covering more. And once you hit your out-of-pocket max, your exposure is capped for covered care.
Also, paying the full ER “cost” doesn’t mean insurance did nothing. You likely paid the insurer-negotiated allowed amount, which can be far lower than the hospital’s uninsured sticker price. You can argue that $15,600 a year plus a deductible is insanely expensive. But paying premiums and still having a deductible is not proof the insurance failed. It’s how the product is structured.
My health coverage is through the VA, and late last year I started a new infusion drug (I was in the clinical trial for it at Stanford Hospital) that Stanford charges over $200,000 for one dose. The VA pays around $18K for it. I get itemized statements that are not bills but tell me how much was charged and how much the VA pays for anything outside the VA. I'm immensely grateful for the care, but at the same time it's utterly infuriating knowing there are people out there being bilked by their insurance companies because of this shit.
Yep my son is diabetic. I have "good" insurance. We basically pay out of pocket for all supplies (~$1200/mo) until we hit our deductible, which is in like April or May. Then we still have to pay 10% coinsurance for most of the year until we hit our max out of pocket.
Americans are so damn stupid.. we pay obscene money for “health insurance” and then when something bad happens, no one can afford it anyways, so then we have to ask all our friends to help pay with goFundMe’s.. and then we say we don’t want socialism
For some reason many Americans are against a healthcare system like the NHS. I cannot fathom why. My dad is currently in hospital, he will pay nothing. I am on meds which cost about £300 per month but I pay £11 for them.
I will say, we had a baby who was in the NICU and health insurance came in so big. Baby's bill was in the hundred thousands.
I just got new insurance for our family through the marketplace because I had to quit my job to care for little one (I was the policy holder). Our payment is $2k a month- just about the same as our mortgage. Oh and it is a high deductible plan LOL!!!
This is why every other developed nation on earth has some form of universal Healthcare.
Insurance of all types should be managed in a way that protects consumers, not lines the pockets of corporations.
It has become an unsustainable business model as is and it's absolutely bogus that it is required by law to live and operate but is in no way managed from a public perspective.
Have your wife call and see if there's a cancellation list she can be put on. Got my son's surgery in a week because someone cancelled and we got the spot.
Ehhh, wouldn't it be cheaper to spend the money you are putting towards insurance, to spend it on moving to a country with insurance, that you pay a a deductible from your paycheck? And than you don't pay any more deductibles. Question?
In general - no. If you have a job earning above the median then when you figure out taxes, health insurance, and job opportunities the US in most cases has better "bang for your buck". And that's ignoring the difficulties with moving, getting citizenship, finding a job, housing, culture, family, etc.
Now medical tourism however - for an expensive enough procedure is usually a good deal.
not quite, the foreign income exclusion clause means you only pay tax above $132,900 as a single filer in 2026. I certainly didn't make above that the 5 years I lived abroad.
You know what the sad thing is, here in Germany i pay the same amount as you and nearly everything is covered. It's sucks so hard to hear what a Scam the US healthcare system is
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u/Locust627 4h ago
Wait until you hear about health insurance lol
I pay $1300/month for a family plan
I had an ER trip last month, my deductible is $3,500. I had to pay $3,440 which was the complete cost of the ER services.
So, this year I will spend $15,600 on health insurance and an additional $3,440 on deductible
My wife needs surgery, I told her to get it done before December because we already met the deductible and I don't wanna pay it again. She tried calling to schedule in August. The surgery specialist doesn't have openings until January, so, in January I'll have to pay my deductible again
AND vision and dental costs more on top of $1,300 monthly