Biggest concern = medical cost in US

[purplecate 7]

There're few problems I can think of when it comes to living in US.

1. Healthcare system

2. Safety

So my biggest concern is their healthcare system. We all know Americans receive massive amount of bills from hospitals. 

I heard patients can make payment arrangement, and negotiate price. 

I know it all depends on your insurance plan/salary/savings(?).

I just wanna know if negotiation can make the price really reasonable.

Let's say a patient receive 10000 usd bill. (this is the cost after insurance covered) He can't pay. He call the billing department...then what happens? 

How much possibility he can bargain?

If he can't bargain, does he have to pay monthly for like more than 10 years?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate information and help.

 

 

 

[EandH0904 1,184]

I'm speaking as a nurse for 10 years, not as someone who works in billing or in insurance department. 

 

In general, yes, that's how it works. You are right patients receive a lot of bills from hospitals. Let's say someone has a car accident and has a surgery because for example they  broke their leg. They may get a bill for x amount after insurance and think that is it, but there are also generally bills from the ambulance, the anesthesiologist, the surgeon, the Emergency - a lot of doctors are contracted by the hospital and are not actually working FOR the hospital. Sometimes even services like laboratory services or radiology is contracted out - so separate bills again. This is where many bills add up. While many hospitals and ambulance providers will negotiate, a lot of individual doctors will not.  

 

Yes, bills can depend on insurance plan/salary/savings/how many people live in the household/ability to pay - all those factors that you mentioned. 

 

There are many hospitals in larger cities that offer financial assistance not only for people who can't afford to pay their co-pays but who cant afford insurance in the first place. You can look up the assistance programs of some of the larger areas and it will tell you how many millions are given out each year in free health care. 

 

I can't answer your questions specifically because they are so variable based on so many different things. Every person and every situation is so completely different. Is it possible that he would have a bill of $10,000 that can't be negotiated down and he'd be paying for it the rest of his life? I guess it's theoretically *possible* but I can't see it realistically happening if someone accrued a bill that high and made like $40,000-$50,000 a year - they would have help. If they were making $300,000 a year with a lot of cash in the bank - different story.   I'll send you a private message of a personal example when I got a bill reduced but it's really hard to speak in general terms. 

[NDB052714 122]

19 minutes ago, Cat Lee said:

There're few problems I can think of when it comes to living in US.

1. Healthcare system

2. Safety

So my biggest concern is their healthcare system. We all know Americans receive massive amount of bills from hospitals. 

I heard patients can make payment arrangement, and negotiate price. 

I know it all depends on your insurance plan/salary/savings(?).

I just wanna know if negotiation can make the price really reasonable.

Let's say a patient receive 10000 usd bill. (this is the cost after insurance covered) He can't pay. He call the billing department...then what happens? 

How much possibility he can bargain?

If he can't bargain, does he have to pay monthly for like more than 10 years?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate information and help.

 

 

 

I don't understand why you are worried about safety? 

 

As for healthcare, are you planning to have medical insurance? Most policies come with a major medical cap that limit annual expenses. Most public hospitals will negotiate payments. If you don't have insurance and financial resources you may be considered indigent, and costs may be written off by the hospital entirely. I'm not sure how that may work for immigrants. 

 

Private hospitals are less likely to negotiate. 

 

 

[purplecate 7]

As for safety...

I am from Japan, lived in Netherlands in the past. Both places were safer compared to US. 

If I get visa and move to US, I think my fiance's insurance can cover me as well until I get a job.

Hearing him getting huge amount of bills just make me worry. (10mins of hospital visit cost 200 usd, dental cost 2000usd etc)

As Japanese who been to Europe, I've never seen this kind of system nowhere and its insane...

He recently had kidney stone, costed 6000usd (insurance covered..) and it already went to collection...

 

[databit 328]

On June 29, 2017 at 2:55 AM, Cat Lee said:

There're few problems I can think of when it comes to living in US.

1. Healthcare system

2. Safety 

As Japanese who been to Europe, I've never seen this kind of system nowhere and its insane...

You don't sound so happy about moving to the US! 

 

And do you understand what it means in the US to have a debt go into collections? Your fiancé and you once married may have problems buying things on credit cards and obtaining a loan for a car, house, etc. Even many employers run a credit check on applicants.

 

Edited July 1, 2017 by databit

[mallafri76 1,012]

Not sure where you're moving to, as safety obviously have to do with the area you live in?! I live in Austin, Texas, and have never felt unsafe. If anything, I think people here are very friendly and helpful. Also, depending on your state, you can learn how to shoot and carry a gun. That always made me feel safer when I drove home alone at midnight. 

 

In regards to health insurance, yes, it's a very messed up system and when you come from Europe, Canada or any other country in the western world, I don't think you'll ever truly get used to the American health care system. But, all countries have their good and bad sides and you'll just learn to deal with it. 

 

When it comes to health insurance you can either choose a "cheaper" monthly premium but be prepared to pay a higher co-insurance and deductible if you use it, or you can pay a higher monthly premium but pay less if you need to use your insurance. The insurance will also cover health checks such as mammogram and annual health check free of charge. 

[Boiler 45,519]

Try to stop thinking of it as a system and it makes more sense, a lot of the answers to this sort of question depends where you live.

 

We currently have no Doctor in my Country so healthcare of any sort is moot. We do have a good Vet. So the Dog is OK.

[nativeson 47]

On 6/29/2017 at 7:54 PM, Cat Lee said:

As for safety...

I am from Japan, lived in Netherlands in the past. Both places were safer compared to US. 

 

Safety in the US really depends on where you live because crime tends to be concentrated in certain areas. For the most part, if you don't live in the inner city the US is as safe or safer than Europe, so you need to do your research on it before deciding where to live. Unfortunately Americans don't take this problem seriously and/or make excuses for it. If you have an idea of where you'll be going people here can probably help out with suggestions.

[purplecate 7]

We will most likely live in California. 

I know people are friendly and everything. My fiance says I just need to know who is trustable and who isn't by just looking at what they wear and how they behave etc.

I never really grew up in ghetto environment and/or multicultural places. 

When I was in Cali, there're places he mentioned that wasn't safe. 

In Japan people can still walk alone outside at night, and usually nothing happens. 

[purplecate 7]

On 02/07/2017 at 10:36 AM, mallafri76 said:

Not sure where you're moving to, as safety obviously have to do with the area you live in?! I live in Austin, Texas, and have never felt unsafe. If anything, I think people here are very friendly and helpful. Also, depending on your state, you can learn how to shoot and carry a gun. That always made me feel safer when I drove home alone at midnight. 

 

In regards to health insurance, yes, it's a very messed up system and when you come from Europe, Canada or any other country in the western world, I don't think you'll ever truly get used to the American health care system. But, all countries have their good and bad sides and you'll just learn to deal with it. 

 

When it comes to health insurance you can either choose a "cheaper" monthly premium but be prepared to pay a higher co-insurance and deductible if you use it, or you can pay a higher monthly premium but pay less if you need to use your insurance. The insurance will also cover health checks such as mammogram and annual health check free of charge. 

We most likely will live in California, unless the temperature gets too high in the future and need to move somewhere cooler. 

 

I was just scared by posts regarding US health insurance which people make fun of all the time because its too expensive. They say 60% of Americans gets bankruptcy etc.

 

 

[purplecate 7]

On 02/07/2017 at 2:25 AM, databit said:

You don't sound so happy about moving to the US! 

 

And do you understand what it means in the US to have a debt go into collections? Your fiancé and you once married may have problems buying things on credit cards and obtaining a loan for a car, house, etc. Even many employers run a credit check on applicants.

 

True, I was more concerned than happy about moving to US. 

But I feel I am ready to accept negative side now.

I understand what credit score means. 

We will work on it in the future. 

 

 

[purplecate 7]

On 02/07/2017 at 11:47 AM, Boiler said:

Try to stop thinking of it as a system and it makes more sense, a lot of the answers to this sort of question depends where you live.

 

We currently have no Doctor in my Country so healthcare of any sort is moot. We do have a good Vet. So the Dog is OK.

We will most likely live in California. 

I know people are friendly and everything. My fiance says I just need to know who is trustable and who isn't by just looking at what they wear and how they behave etc.

I never really grew up in ghetto environment and/or multicultural places. 

When I was in Cali, there're places he mentioned that wasn't safe. 

In Japan people can still walk alone outside at night, and usually nothing happens. 

[Boiler 45,519]

Things are much safer where I am in the US than where I lived in London. Depends.

[nativeson 47]

There is nowhere in the world safer than Japan, that is just a fact. However that doesn't tell the whole story: despite Japan's safety and convenience it only ranks #53 on the world happiness ranking, behind Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Kuwait, etc... And despite the messed up insurance system and crime in some areas the US still ranks #13.

 

 

OP if you are afraid then you will have a bad experience, so you should try to approach it with a positive attitude and see what happens. Instead of worrying about things that haven't happened, view your move as a chance to try out a new life and try to find something that suits you, that you wouldn't be able to discover in Japan. It sounds like you'll be in either Los Angeles or San Diego so your husband's advice is probably the best available. It won't be difficult to stay away from the bad areas and if you're in LA there is a large Japanese community to take advantage of.

 

 

Good luck!

[LauraDP 10]

The healthcare system in the US is very complicated and difficult to understand.  I have been reassured, however, by many people - including medical professionals - that most Americans don't understand it all either so we immigrants should not be any more intimidated by it.  A lot does depend on your insurance.  We are a family of six so we have a pretty robust health insurance plan because the likelihood of needing it is increased through the number of people being covered.  In addition to paying for the insurance, we put away a certain amount each month to cover unexpected health care costs not covered by insurance (on our plan, we have to pay 10%, though many routine things are 100% covered).  Those savings proved essential when one of my sons broke his arm when we were travelling out of state.  So far we have not had any hiccups with using the insurance system.  Just budget and plan for the unexpected expenses is my only advice on that,

As for safety, that very much depends on where you are living in the US and where you lived in your home country.  I moved from a rural and remote area of Scotland to the suburbs of a major US city (Philadelphia) so the experiences are not comparable.  I have never had cause to feel uneasy or in danger since we emigrated here, however.  As adults, we probably all have life experience enough to use our gut instinct to navigate unfamiliar places.  We do it when travelling all the time.  It is no different once you live in a place.