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How much do Americans actually pay for healthcare? (pawb.social)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hey all, I'm British so I don't really know the ins and outs of the US healthcare system. Apologies for asking what is probably a rather simple question.

So like most of you, I see many posts and gofundmes about people having astronomically high medical bills. Most recently, someone having a $27k bill even after his death.

However, I have an American friend who is quick to point out that apparently nobody actually pays those bills. They're just some elaborate dance between insurance companies and hospitals. If you don't have insurance, the cost is lower or removed entirely. Supposedly.

So I'm just asking... How accurate is that? Consider someone without insurance, a minor physical ailment, a neurodivergent mind and no interest in fighting off harassing people for the rest of their life.

How much would such a person expect to pay, out of their own pocket, for things like check ups, x rays, meds, counselling and so on?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Firstly, thanks everyone for all the responses. I appreciate it, and I hope that some of you felt better after having a vent.

American friend predictably says there's a problem with "healthcare literacy" and that you just don't have to pay the bills and they probably won't chase it up. I don't beleive that at all.

I figured it might be interesting to share how much I pay for stuff up here in Scotland.

I have a decent well paying job so I pay some money to the NHS in taxes, specifically ~£2000 a year. I get antidepressants and doctors appointments completely free from that. Dental I don't get free because my income is too large, but it's only like £20 for most routine things. I have a free eye test booked next week, and I splurged £10 extra to get fancy 3D imaging stuff done.

I do require mental health treatment though, and the NHS doesn't cover that for autistic people (as a competence issue, rather than a policy choice). A session with a counsellor costs £45 per hour for me privately.

Honestly, the surprising thing to me isn't that you have an insurance system (Switzerland has a similar thing, iirc), it's just how inflated prices are compared to here.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

American friend predictably says there’s a problem with “healthcare literacy” and that you just don’t have to pay the bills and they probably won’t chase it up. I don’t beleive that at all.

healthcare literacy is an understatement and i'm glad you quoted it, you literally have to be a full time lawyer reading through this shit with a career SPECIFICALLY in handling health insurance to be able to understand it. Outside of that you're literally just guessing that it'll work.

Maybe someday i or someone else can found a thing like "open healthcare" providing that information for free in a fully publicly accessible manner. Why it isn't legislated, i don't know.