You
will never know how important health care is, till you badly need medical
attention. The
moment you have to deal with your health insurance as a student or newly hired
worker in the USA, you realize that this is a world of its own. Most of the
times health plans are already offered to you by universities and companies and
this can spare you an endless search in comparing insurances' costs. The health
plans provided by universities are pretty comprehensive. If you have to look for one yourself, the principle is
the same as shopping for the most convenient phone plans. But you'll see the
discrepancy: your health cannot be compared to a cell phone! That is an aspect
that can give you the chills. The concept for Europeans is quite new, as we
have a social healthcare that covers everything and we don't really think about
it. We take it for granted. In America it is not so.
First thing, read carefully the insurance policy, what
is included, what is not, co-payments, dental and vision. These are all aspects that will make you raise both eyebrows, but you must think in these terms: your
health is an investment you want to protect.
If you ever need medical care, be ready and patient,
not only will you have to put up with your physical ailment, but also you will
have to fill out an incredible long list of questions and honestly when you are
sick, it is really difficult to manage. Usually in Europe patients talk to
doctors, probably in the USA doctors cannot be bothered by patients' complaints
and they'd rather read. Though, I must say I had a very nice doctor while at
university who was very easy to talk to. The system of filling out papers is
quite obsolete and clunky. The problem is that there is no central system that
allows to share your medical information among hospitals, health centers,
different M.D.s; in this way, you fill the form in only once without writing
your medical history over and over again. So, whenever and wherever you need
it, your information pops up on the screen of every doctor's office. Wouldn't
that be practical and efficient? In Europe we have a card with a microchip that
contains all these data and every time I go for any visit they already know who
I am, without writing my name two hundred times.
One other thing: keep a close eye on every single item
that is listed in the medical bills you receive. There are mistakes (a needle,
a bandage, a plaster, etc. ) and most of the times it is to their advantage, go
figure! It goes without saying that, when you need medical treatment because
you are really ill, you don't really feel like putting up with all this
accounting that demands your fullest and undivided attention. Most health
insurances offer routine check ups and highly recommended screenings. However,
when you inquire a bit more, it turns out that these check ups are not free at
all, they can cost you quite a lump of money (the screening I was eligible for
was around $400). Another aspect regards medications. Now, here I really have
troubles understanding how it works.
A medication I got for free in Europe (one blister for 50 days), in the USA I had to pay (actually it was
co-pay), around eight dollars for 30 days. Can you imagine what it
would cost without insurance?! Anyhow, the issue is that this medication in
Europe, if I were to pay it in full, would be 2.89 euros. The only difference
between the two medications is the price, being the components identical. How
is it possible that in the USA I spend a lot more despite having health
insurance (which incidentally happened to be one of the most
expensive/comprehensive ones) and in Europe for EXACTLY the same stuff I pay
much less even without insurance?? Does it just come down to American
pharmaceutical companies' greediness, where their profit margin is huge, taking
from both insurance and insured? It would be cheaper to import some medications
from Europe.
For serious medical conditions and or procedures, you
must be aware of what is awaiting you. Take giving birth for instance, it is
also quite a lucrative business. Despite being a natural event-and wishing all
the best to mother and child, like a short and painless delivery!- sometimes
there are complications, unfortunately. I want to report some data I have found
on this website, where you can find more if interested: http://transform.childbirthconnection.org/resources/datacenter/chargeschart/.
Childbirth centers, which provide a wide range of
services for home births, water births and similar average the lowest cost, at
$2.227. However, always do your research first: see what they offer and ask for
the total costs. Keep in mind that if something goes wrong, either to mother or
child, they still need to be taken to hospital. Birth centers in the North East
charge around $4.800. But if we stick to hospitals, the prices range from
well above $10.000 up to $ 24.000. According to these data, a vaginal birth in hospital
with no complications is on average $ 10.657, but if you aren't this lucky and
need a cesarean with complications you'll end up paying almost $24.000. These
costs DO NOT include additional anesthesia for either births (vaginal and
cesarean), newborn care and maternity services. Even the duchess of Cambridge didn't
cost so much to British citizens when she gave birth to their royal heir. In fact,
it seems the costs were about $15.000, and she got a suite all for herself!
Also tourists must be warned that before leaving they
must be covered for the time of their stay. Even minor health issues can ruin your holiday when
the bill is presented to you, and I am not talking about open-heart surgery.
Plaster casts, insulin drips, calling an ambulance, each can run up to $2.000
and more. Spend some money on a good insurance: if you don't need it, you might
think it's money you wasted, but if you ever end up needing it, you'll be so
thankful you spent it.
Even though you are young and fit, never underestimate
health care because in case you'll ever need it, you might end up paying bills
for the rest of your life.
