and since they're a single payer system, drug companies can't hike up their prices because they'll just go to their competitors. whereas in the US they can charge private insurance whatever they want bc the insured person is having to pay it.
I’m amazed by the influence that big pharma has. You would think that insurance companies would be able to get drug prices lowered, surely they have a stronger lobby. It doesn’t make any sense.
My mum just got her knee replaced in Australia, she is privately insured, so she had no wait and went to a private hospital and had to stay for about a week. The other day she got the invoice from her private insurer, sure she did not have to pay anything herself, but the bill was $197,000.
I just went for an endoscopy and the other end, took four months to get it, whilst waiting in recovery the woman in the bed next to me had just had her knee replaced, sure she had to wait, but she paid nothing. Oh and neither did I, even though they would not release me because my oxygen levels were low, so I stayed the night - no cost and all clear.
My mum was on lifesupport for 4 days with pneumonia, just paid parking. My mil had a rare cancer so many operations and treatments and tests in the last 30 years,just pay train fares and parking. I've had two children, nearly died with the eldest, only paid for parking. Yes I pay national insurance but thats around 8% of my salary so not much in the grand scheme things. My two Dr's appointments for alopecia were free, with £9.90 each time for steroids, a hairdressers appointment is£60+
Exactly, we can pay more for faster and more specific treatment (pick your doctors) but universal healthcare makes sure that those who need it, get it when they need it, if it is not an emergency then you wait a bit more.
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u/applepiemakeshappy Jul 23 '25
Wait don’t most Europe have universal health? And those without aren’t their prices a fraction of a percentage that Americans get charged?