I was admitted to the ER: here's how much it cost

a reply to: Ghost147

We pay part of our wages toward UHC, which gives us access (it's an obligation to choose and subscribe to one) to any one of a number of "ziekenfondsen", literal translation would be "funds for the sick", which can be compared to an insurance company with close governmental oversight. There you get basic coverage of hospital and doctor costs, but you never get the full amount of the bill back. These companies then offer you additional insurances which you are free to go with or not.
So we always have to pay the full amount of the bill whenever we make a visit. Then get a note from whomever treated you, take that to your insurance company and then get payed back an amount linking to your level of insurance. This level again being basic through taxation of wages or more by personal choice of added insurance payments, but it almost never amounts to the full amount of the bill.
A common doctor's visit is about € 25, of which a basic coverage would get you about € 20 back I think.

Medication works almost the same way, with the "added ease" of not having to run back to your insurance company with a note but prices being calculated right there at the pharmacy, through the use of a credit-card like healthcard we get.
We're actually having a bit of a highlight in the news about drug prices right now, as some of our generic brands can get up to 5 times more pricey then in our neighbour country the Netherlands. Some doctors are actually organising bus trips, I think the last one had 8 busses, to just across the border.

Ambulance costs are by the kilometer. € 61,63 for the first 10km and diminishing costs/km the further they go. There are additional costs for additional equipment being used too. We get 50% of the bill back, safe for those with improved insurance in this field who get more back obviously.

We pay about 1/3 of our wages in taxes. Which part of that goes into our healtcare I'd have to look up.

Not the best system, but not the worst either.

Shoot...some folks go to the hospital for a hangnail. I go when Im gushing blood or something... or am taken against my will. My most recent was a series of unfortunate events that I have a skull surgery scheduled for on the 26th. I try to keep holes in my head to a minimum, but here I have to pay an arm and a leg for a few to be installed. I have a hematoma that keeps bleeding spontaneously... I get some skull removed and something cauterized and such nonsense.. hematoma drained.. stuff like that. Gnarly concussion.. car wreck... a few yrs ago reared its ugly head recently. God knows what that will cost.

My middle daughter has a problematic liver transplant an we went well over the million dollar mark. We knew she had this from birth and would need a transplant, but we also had the sense to carry 2 policies on her to get the level of care we wanted for her. Reg insurance through employment plus a policy we started paying into from a few months after her birth when the extent of her issue was realized. Now that liver is pooping out and she is being reevaluated for another transplant... so damned good thing we kept two on her!

Shoot...some folks go to the hospital for a hangnail. I go when Im gushing blood or something... or am taken against my will. My most recent was a series of unfortunate events that I have a skull surgery scheduled for on the 26th. I try to keep holes in my head to a minimum, but here I have to pay an arm and a leg for a few to be installed. I have a hematoma that keeps bleeding spontaneously... I get some skull removed and something cauterized and such nonsense.. hematoma drained.. stuff like that. Gnarly concussion.. car wreck... a few yrs ago reared its ugly head recently. God knows what that will cost.

My middle daughter has a problematic liver transplant an we went well over the million dollar mark. We knew she had this from birth and would need a transplant, but we also had the sense to carry 2 policies on her to get the level of care we wanted for her. Reg insurance through employment plus a policy we started paying into from a few months after her birth when the extent of her issue was realized. Now that liver is pooping out and she is being reevaluated for another transplant... so damned good thing we kept two on her!

originally posted by: Ghost147


Out of curiosity, and if you don't mind sharing, what percentage of your income Is directed towards taxes?

Last year - 12.5%

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: JDeLattre89

I guess in America it boils down to .....

Pay for insurance and make a lot of money for the elite investors in for profit health care and still get halfassed healthcare.

Or pay into a system where the patient is to be cared for and not just a means to make money for investors.

Take your pick...

I wonder why we can't have the same kind of health care our congressmen and representatives have? All paid for by the US taxpayers.

Because we are all fools who keep on re-electing the same idiot professional bureaucrats over and over again who keep passing legislation which does us zero good but fills up their pockets. And yes, I know that I can't complain too much since I don't want to stay in one place long enough to run for office so . . .

I am very fortunate to be a member of a Great Nation. All medical expenses and medications are at no charge. Dental is limited to cleaning, pulling, and filling. Cosmetic expenses are not covered.

www.cherokee.org...

a reply to: SlapMonkey

And for the record, I'm not necessarily defending our system, but what I am doing is pointing out that it's easy for those on the outside of our borders looking in to sing the praises of their cheaper system, when a major reason that it's so cheap is that our country does the bulk of the world's studies, R&D, innovating, and modernizing of the healthcare system worldwide.

...and yet, your politicians get free tax-payer funded healthcare while YOU—the tax payer and a VETERAN— do not.

America indeed leads the world in R&D but as far as "a major reason that it's so cheap [in other nations] is that our country does the bulk of the world studies" or "modernizing of the healthcare system worldwide" — I disagree. That is overreaching and not understanding how *healthcare systems* operate in Canada, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Netherlands, and so on.

I agree the US does the bulk of world studies, but that does not correlate with "healthcare systems" in other nations and cheaper drug cost.

Imagine, if you will, what it would cost if Canada was forced to suddenly create all of the medical technology and develop all of the drugs and procedural innovations that come out of America on its own from this point on, from R&D to final product. Imagine that the citizenry of your country had to pay the bill for all of that in one form or another, be it taxes, increased costs of products and services, etc. Your cost for healthcare would also skyrocket.

That's a valid point. However:

How does Germany and the UK fit into your worldview regarding innovation + R&D in regards to above? Are they not a factor in this global model? How is the US making their drugs and healthcare system cheaper...?

Our system isn't perfect, but I'll tell you, the American federal government usurping control over all of our healthcare would absolutely not make it cheaper, or better in any way.

Again: my friend payed $0.00 for his five year old son's x-ray and cast for his broken leg last week. Nor did any $ come out of his pocket for the birth of his four children. All four of children could of broke their legs last week along with his wife and the cost out of pocket would of still been $0.00. So, despite all the debate, the American people still pay taxes and still pay higher healthcare cost.

American politicians still benefit from universal healthcare, tho...

They spend more money on wars and propaganda campaigns than on R&D. Let that marinate.

This ATS member, kaelci summed it up nicely:

What I don't understand is the attitude of people who despair at their taxes being taken for universal healthcare, "free" education, etc. No, it's not free. Yes, it comes from your taxes.

Either way, in ANY of our countries, we are being -taxed-.

Would you really rather your tax money go to lining your politicians pockets? Going to excessive military spending? Or would you rather your tax money go to something important: people's health and education.

I've been to the ER once for myself and once for my son. I am SO GLAD that I live in a country where they value people's health over bleeding you dry.

I like you, SlapMonkey. You make very good intelligent points, and seem like a cool dude based on yours and mine past interactions; so here is a policy analysis from the CATO Institute that polishes your armour and puts a slight dent in mine:

Bending the Productivity Curve: Why America Leads the World in Medical Innovation

www.cato.org...

*Keep in mind that it is only "a policy analysis" and does not address health care systems being cheaper in other nations due to the US. That is apple and oranges, imo.

originally posted by: Plotus
Well here in the lower 48, you likely would be into it $ wise about 8-10K....
Hope your feeling better..

I agree, I have had several friends visit the ER and share their medical bills on Facebook and it was about that much.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

Sickening! Not only has the U.S. fallen behind other industrialized countries for providing Health Care to their citizens, our education system has also taken a dive. The old motto "American know how" should now be "America doesn't know how."

haha good luck with single payer in the US.. people bitch bout the taxes they pay now

a reply to: Ghost147

And what are your sales/VAT taxes?

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: SlapMonkey

Fine - stay out of the argument, but we are slowly becoming a third world country because we refuse to progress with the other big boys.

No we're becoming a third world country because we import every other third world nation's people here and try to pay for them instead of make them take care of themselves.

We are like that crazy lady who hoardes cats or dogs.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Ghost147

And what are your sales/VAT taxes?

In my province it's 5%

originally posted by: LookingForABetterLife
I have no insurance to pay this so they are not going to get paid any of this by me.

Do you work? Because if you do I can guarantee you'll pay it. They garnish my wife's paycheck for her $9,000 hospital bill, you better believe they'll be all over your ass for $40,000

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: kaylaluv



So what if you are in a right to work state and they canned your ass for taking 4 days off "getting yourself in huge medical debt" being sick.

IIRC this would be covered under FMLA? I do know if you've been employed less than 12 months with the job or in some cases if you haven't worked a certain amount of hours in that year you wouldn't be eligible and it covers up to 12 weeks a year, but that's about as much as I remember.? Been many moons since I looked into it.

I'm in BC Canada.
A couple of weeks ago I had an accident on my property, called 911 ( I will receive a bill for $50 for the ambulance btw) . I broke 3 ribs and my collar bone. Extreme pain! Given morphine, x rays of ribs and chest in case I punctured a lung from a sharp broken rib.

Anyways I paid nonthing . It's covered under my MSP. My ex still has me on his plan . It's about $70 a month, not much. I also received free home care visits to help me at home once I was discharged.

I'll claim the ambulance bill on my income tax and the prescription for morphine I got to go home with.

Next week though I'm getting an $800 bone injection/infusion thing, it's not covered. I'll claim on taxes also.

a reply to: Ghost147

$50 for ambulance here in BC... if they assessed you and transport included to hospital if you want to go .

originally posted by: Ghost147

originally posted by: aliensanonymousAlthough we recieve free school

Does that include college and university?

I'm all for that as well, despite being out of school I'd much rather our school system be entirely free, post secondary and all. And I don't mind if they raise taxes to do it.

Education should also be a human right, in my opinion

Public school dentestry is free, for young children check up and basics, braces and such need to be paid by parents.

Public & private school education is subsidised, although fees are charged at a rate relating to school performance. Private schools are expensive and competitive. The goverment gives HELP loans for vocational and university studies that are repayed once an idividual earns a specific income level.

Help student loans

There is no real interest charged on HECS‑HELP loans. However, your debt will be indexed each year to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index to maintain its real value.

a reply to: Ghost147

I had to visit the ER about a year ago and my bill was around
$5000.00.My insurance did pay most of it!

a reply to: Ghost147

OMG that is crazy!!!!

I am in the states and well I have no insurance right now, can't afford it and keep getting denied medicaid even though I'm a single mom recently unemployed, but VERY actively applying. I actually have an interview tomorrow!

Anyway this is crazy! In the states that would have probably been WITH insurance $5000 minimum!

I was in a head on accident, drunk driver hopped a median and hit me head on. I had no insurance at the time so they didn't do much of anything. I had an abdominal scan, was given tylenol and a neck brace. They never check my neck, back or head after I was just hit HEAD on at 45mph! I had insurance through my car company which only covered so much. I had to have PT for my neck three times a week and it was $900 A WEEK!!!! A WEEK! When I got the bill from the hospital it was about $15,000! I was like WTH! It was the cost of the ambulance, abdominal scans, meds they gave me and a $300 charge for a neck brace I could have gotten at the local medical supply store for $30!

My best friend lives in Canada and she has a heart condition and she said if she lived in the states she would probably have died long ago. She pays for nothing!

I have bi polar disorder and OCD. I have no insurance and doctors won't even talk to me about helping me find a way to get my meds, which I so desperately need. I was recently in the throws of a manic episode and it wasn't pretty. I was baker acted (LONG story there) and they didn't do ANYTHING to help me. Kept me 24 hours and sent me packing the next day. I have called places BEGGING for help so I can get my meds. It's like do I need to actually hurt myself to get their attention?! It is very frustrating not having insurance when you are sick, especially mental health! My meds without insurance are about $600 a month! That's almost my rent! My doctor charges non insured patients $180 PER VISIT, rip off. I can't afford that especially with no job. When I had insurance it was good due to who I worked for and my meds were $30 total month and doctor co pays were $10!

The insurance industry in the states is absolutely HORRIBLE!!! I despise it. When I was on Medicaid after I had my son, before I was on my husbands insurance, it was like I had no insurance! NOBODY accepted the plan I was given in my freaking county! It was insane! The hospital took it so every time i had a problem I HAD to go to the hospital because the local clinics and doctors didn't accept the Molina Plan I had. It was ridiculous. It was very frustrating and also there is NOTHING for mental health were I live. I wish there was. I had an ER doctor tell me he didn't believe in mental health and that I was a scorpio and should go home and MEDITATE! OH I showed him manic alright after that and only THEN did they send psych down to me! I still didn't get anywhere. It took years to get a diagnosis and I had to be a guinea pig for Seroquel (BAAAAD STUFF) to get that diagnosis. I was recently on lamictal and wellbutrin, loved them! They worked with no side effects but I can't afford them without insurance. I am trying to see if the manufacturers have a program for people like me to get them free or HIGHLY discounted!

Man I have always wanted to move to Canada, looking better and better every day!