Here is the reason you have to have medical insurance while you are in the US waiting for EAD/AP

[nastra30 2,368]

Oh, the US healthcare system; one f***ed up system. I have had my fair share of crazy huge hospital bills and it's mindboggling.

US healthcare spending takes up 18% of GDP; astonishing. Go figure.

US spends the most on healthcare than any other country in the world.

[Crazy Cat 42,347]

I have to say that there are some good health care plans...if a person qualifies......Example:  I like my Tricare For Life/ Medicare (yea, I know.....that's for old people)......Medicare rates are pretty low (comparatively) and are deducted from Social Security.....I choose any doctor, specialist, or hospital I want (if they accept Medicare)...........Drug co-pays are comparatively good if I choose generics...........

 

I realize that most of you youngsters don't qualify yet, but.........😁

 

[George & Roth 1,485]

You should have medical insurance in any country, yes the USA even more so. 

 

I had about $100K in medical bills after surgeries in Bangkok. Separately,  my wife had to get gallbladder removed also and I had her added thankfully to my coverage in Cambodia. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by George & Roth

[Jose&Jeff 126]

46 minutes ago, George & Roth said:

You should have medical insurance in any country, yes the USA even more so. 

 

I had about $100K in medical bills after surgeries in Bangkok. Separately,  my wife had to get gallbladder removed also and I had her added thankfully to my coverage in Cambodia. 

 

Every country without a national health care program. In my home country I was glad to pay my fair share of taxes and get almost free healthcare, university and infrastructure in general. Capitalism is great but shouldn't be applied to services where demand is not voluntary or critical fields for societal cohesion and well being (health, education and public transit/roads).

 

I see how much my husband pays of income tax, health insurance and other fees and state and local taxes and I don't buy the argument that we in Europe only have free healthcare and education because we pay more taxes, it just doesn't add up. 

 

Is more a question about social well being versus individualism. A national healthcare system only works if the majority of healthy people pays for the few that are sick and promotes preventive care. Here I heard several arguments that you shouldn't have to pay for any one else's bill if you are healthy and do your best to be that way. I disagree, but accept that is a valid point of view under a free country. 

 

I still hope to a more reasonable health care policy for the US, being a single payer Medicare for all or some a private insurance scheme that works better for those that don't trust the government. 

 

This is probably the most important topic that makes me and my husband debate if and when should we move to Europe at some point.

 

Hope for a fast recovery for OP's wife!

Edited April 18, 2019 by Jose&Jeff

[Redheadguy03 505]

11 minutes ago, Jose&Jeff said:

 

Every country without a national health care program. In my home country I was glad to pay my fair share of taxes and get almost free healthcare, university and infrastructure in general. Capitalism is great but shouldn't be applied to services where demand is not voluntary or critical fields for societal cohesion and well being (health, education and public transit/roads).

 

I see how much my husband pays of income tax, health insurance and other fees and state and local taxes and I don't buy the argument that we in Europe only have free healthcare and education because we pay more taxes, it just doesn't add up. 

 

Is more a question about social well being versus individualism. A national healthcare system only works if the majority of healthy people pays for the few that are sick and promotes preventive care. Here I heard several arguments that you shouldn't have to pay for any one else's bill if you are healthy and do your best to be that way. I disagree, but accept that is a valid point of view under a free country. 

 

I still hope to a more reasonable health care policy for the US, being a single payer Medicare for all or some a private insurance scheme that works better for those that don't trust the government. 

 

This is probably the most important topic that makes me and my husband debate if and when should we move to Europe at some point.

 

Hope for a fast recovery for OP's wife!

I agree with what you said! They say oh they pay more in taxes, but do the math! I pay almost 300 a month for my insurance and then you have a deductible, plus co-pays. If you calculated everything I'm paying as much as these "high tax" countries who don't have to worry about the bills showing up. Not to mention we don't get the education either. 

[Zeebubs 22]

I would like to point out that travel insurance is also very important when you are simply visiting your fiance before attaining your visa. Last year I was visiting when I was struck down with a necrotising soft tissue infection.  I was helicoptered back to a major hospital.  Four days in ICU, two surgeries, six days in acute care.  I ended up in the US six weeks longer than I had intended, had to have outpatient management with general surgery and other specialties.  At one point a PE was suspected so I needed another ER visit, ultrasounds and a CT.  

 

Having taken out travel insurance, paying extra to make sure pre-existing conditions were covered, meant I did not pay a cent towards any medical bills.  I was also flown back to New Zealand in business class (they also were going to fly two nurses to be with me for the trip back, but I felt comfortable with my fiance taking care of me, so they flew him business too, and a regular flight back to the US).

 

I am definitely making sure I have expat insurance (travel insurance usually requires you to be returning to your country of origin) to cover me until being able to get on my future husband's insurance after the move.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

So I'm not sure if Southwest General are uber generous or if this is a common feature amongst hospital networks in general, but I went to the ER without insurance last year. They have a programme whereby if the total cost of your stay equals or is more than a certain percentage of your income, they waive it all. It was a pretty generous %, I just don't remember what it was. Lower percentages still came with a pretty generous discount. In my case, my household earned over 400% of the poverty line, yet they waived a lot of my bill. It went down from $7,000ish to about $450 and I had the option to pay that back gradually, though I was able to pay it all in one go. My point being, before filing for bankruptcy or ending up in the ER again due to a panic attack, if the hospital didn't give you financial assistance info while you were there, call them up and work something out.

 

That being said, you want insurance. It allows you more than emergency care and gets you those discounts from the get-go. Helps if you have chronic, non-life-threatening issues. I had some pretty routine surgery this year that came to, idk, $15,000? And I owe $4,500 thanks to insurance that I pay back gradually per month. I know the prices are inflated because of insurance in the first place but it is what it is nowadays. Hopefully things change for the better.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Ketsuban
Changed equals to equals or is more than and added some more details at the end

[NikLR 13,232]

8 hours ago, missileman said:

As a former health care professional, I agree that it should be mandatory for that very reason.

Maybe if the female has the bits that even allow them to get pregnant but not if they've had a partial or full hysterectomy. 

[Crazy Cat 42,347]

3 minutes ago, NikLR said:

Maybe if the female has the bits that even allow them to get pregnant but not if they've had a partial or full hysterectomy. 

Of course...good point.

[Redheadguy03 505]

32 minutes ago, Ketsuban said:

So I'm not sure if Southwest General are uber generous or if this is a common feature amongst hospital networks in general, but I went to the ER without insurance last year. They have a programme whereby if the total cost of your stay equals or is more than a certain percentage of your income, they waive it all. It was a pretty generous %, I just don't remember what it was. Lower percentages still came with a pretty generous discount. In my case, my household earned over 400% of the poverty line, yet they waived a lot of my bill. It went down from $7,000ish to about $450 and I had the option to pay that back gradually, though I was able to pay it all in one go. My point being, before filing for bankruptcy or ending up in the ER again due to a panic attack, if the hospital didn't give you financial assistance info while you were there, call them up and work something out.

 

That being said, you want insurance. It allows you more than emergency care and gets you those discounts from the get-go. Helps if you have chronic, non-life-threatening issues. I had some pretty routine surgery this year that came to, idk, $15,000? And I owe $4,500 thanks to insurance that I pay back gradually per month. I know the prices are inflated because of insurance in the first place but it is what it is nowadays. Hopefully things change for the better.

Lots of hospitals have programs that give discounts for poverty levels. Problem is if you have any savings at all you're pretty much out of luck. 

 

Fortunately, I have insurance, but it's still pricey for sure. 

[SalishSea 18,154]

1 hour ago, NikLR said:

Maybe if the female has the bits that even allow them to get pregnant but not if they've had a partial or full hysterectomy. 

The thing is.....as health care providers, do you think we can always know that too be 100% factual?  No.  It is wayyyyy cheaper to do a pregnancy test than to accidentally expose a fetus to radioactive isotopes.

 

Just like in aviation, redundancy in medicine saves lives.

Edited April 19, 2019 by Jorgedig

[yuna628 9,718]

5 hours ago, missileman said:

I have to say that there are some good health care plans...if a person qualifies......Example:  I like my Tricare For Life/ Medicare (yea, I know.....that's for old people)......Medicare rates are pretty low (comparatively) and are deducted from Social Security.....I choose any doctor, specialist, or hospital I want (if they accept Medicare)...........Drug co-pays are comparatively good if I choose generics...........

 

I realize that most of you youngsters don't qualify yet, but.........😁

 

Husband has great work insurance, no deductible and low copays. We need to be in network, but we can pretty much go anywhere that will accept it. It's a lot out of his paycheck for sure. Still he certainly sees the value in it now.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

1 hour ago, Redheadguy03 said:

Lots of hospitals have programs that give discounts for poverty levels. Problem is if you have any savings at all you're pretty much out of luck. 

 

Fortunately, I have insurance, but it's still pricey for sure. 

I was only asked to submit our pay stubs. They didn't want to know about savings.

[NikLR 13,232]

2 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

The thing is.....as health care providers, do you think we can always know that too be 100% factual?  No.  It is wayyyyy cheaper to do a pregnancy test than to accidentally expose a fetus to radioactive isotopes.

 

Just like in aviation, redundancy in medicine saves lives.

Why are you using that kind of medicine without medical history? Can she decline the test and do an ultrasound instead? Are you doing tests without consent? Are you denying treatment if they refuse? 

 

I hate this country's inability to see that medical care benefits everyone so paying for your neighbor's helps you.  I want my co-worker to go to the dr because when they dont, i have to pick up their slack. Then when the work isn't complete it's my fault because you cant blame the sick person! So I want the best for my co-worker but Im also selfish and would rather have my taxes go towards healthcare so I don't have to do someone else's work. 

 

And while this post  may (aka will) get the "then move back" bs posts that my opinion on American healthcare always does, no I'm not going to give up my life with my spouse just because I hate the healthcare system.  I just deal with it like every other moronic thing I come across and continue my life. 

<eom>

[SalishSea 18,154]

22 minutes ago, NikLR said:

Why are you using that kind of medicine without medical history? Can she decline the test and do an ultrasound instead? Are you doing tests without consent? Are you denying treatment if they refuse? 

Huh?  

 

I think you missed my point.  We health care providers are charged with giving the very best care, often with the best information we can get.   Some of that comes from patient self-reported history.   Some may need confirmation if the risk for harm is great.  Sometimes no history is available.

 

And yes- if we have a patient who won’t consent to blood tests before chemo, you can be sure she’s not getting the chemo.