How do people survive in the US without a public/free health system?

Question

In australia if you are low income you get free health including hospital, radiology, medicine, doctors and dental...I cant imagine life without this......

Answer 1

I could go on for a while about this because it is one of my biggest issues with the US govenment.

In the US, if you're poor and can't afford health care, you are at risk of becoming more seriously ill than you already are because you can't get the meds you need to get better. Even today, where all this modern medicine and medical knowledge exists, people actually die of curable diseases because they can't afford to pay for it. The US government will give medicaid out to the single parents of children or medicare to senior citizens, but even those don't pay the whole price of health care any more. And those of us in between those ages get nothing. If we can't afford health insurance, we have to pay for all expenses out of pocket, and health care is the most ridiculously priced products in the world. A dentist visit can be in excess of $200 if you have any work at all done, a general practicioner doctor will sometimes charge you $100 just to let you in the door! And if they have to listen to your heartbeat, it's extra! God help you if you need bloodwork or other tests. An MRI is more than $1000!

From each of my paychecks, about 8% is deducted for social security, and other things are deducted as well. I'm paying out the nose for something, although I'll probably never live to see what because I can't afford health care!

Sorry. Off my soapbox and back in the corner. :)

I'm thinking about moving to Australia. :)

Answer 2

Most people are not covered by any kind of health insurance!
Medicare/Medicaid is reserved for the elderly and the young. Welfare system uses medicare/Medicaid and only for a limited time.
For some one in their late teens to early 60s, they have to depend on charity hospitals/organizations or find a job that offers health insurance either at cost or low cost.
We aren't promised any kind of health care once we get too old for the legal system, 18 years old. From there until we hit retirement age, we're pretty much on our own and out on a limb most of the time.

Answer 3

Who told you we don't have free health care in the US?

We have Medicaid for low-income people and free clinics. In fact, we have given so much free health care to Mexicans crossing the border (legally and illegally), that many hospitals on or near the border are closing due to huge financial losses.

If your question is, "Why doesn't the United States have socialized medicine", that answer is easy. It doesn't work well in any country where it exists.

Answer 4

We end up with medical problems that get more serious as time passes. If you're sick and poor, you're screwed. Unless we're pitiful enough to appear on Oprah, you can die without proper treatment and no one bats an eye.

Medicaid isn't available for everyone. I'm a college student and am completely independant (i.e. all bills are paid by me with no help). I work two jobs and go to class full time, I get very little sleep, and still can't afford to have my wisdom teeth removed because it's on the upper end of $900.

Medicaid tells me that if I get married or pregnant, they'll help me out. If I were addicted to a drug, they'd help me. If I were in debt (excluding college loans) or bankrupt, they would help me. Plain old poor? We get the short end of the stick.

Answer 5

Well, we DO have public/unfastened wellness coverage, for persons right here LEGALLY. It's known as Medicare and Medicaid (oh, TWO systems!) One factor you are discounting - no different nation on the planet, has 22,000,000 unlawful immigrants, watching for "unfastened" public offerings - now not constrained to the clinical method, however with kids within the public schooling method, utilising police and hearth offerings, and so forth. I do not know the way Austrailia's method works, however I've heard PLENTY approximately Canada, from my uncle who lives there - and approximately the UK, either one of whom have lengthy, lengthy waits for "unfastened" offerings - adding as much as six months for emergency offerings for lifestyles threatening stipulations. Either you are living lengthy adequate for the "unfastened" provider wait in line, otherwise you die, and don't want it any further. Public wellness offerings for "unfastened" create REAL distinctive phases in care - one for the wealthy, who get the great, instantly, due to the fact they may be able to pay for it - and the opposite for the "unfastened" buyers - older apparatus, rationing of offerings, and lengthy lengthy LONG waits in line, with everybody else who wishes unfastened offerings. Feel unfastened to take a couple of million illegals over the pond, and pay for THEIR offerings. I suppose we are doing lovely good enough right here within the USA.

Answer 6

well i have a medication that wasnt covered by my work insurance company after they found out how much it costed! Well i found out that i could order it from Canada and save 427 dollars versus paying the full amount of 774.83 every 22 days! Yeah it sucks, well it's america and i decided i would rather work and pay for my medication than sit back and be made the butt of some political crap shoot.

Answer 7

America does have this. It's called Medicaid. There is also AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependant Children), Welfare, Food Stamps, and HUD (Housing and Urban Development)
Then there is healh insurance policies that are offered through employers. You don't have to rely on the government to pay for your medical costs.

Answer 8

Actually, the question I have is, if the free universal health care systems in Australia and Canada are so good, how come people keep dying there?

Answer 9

Most people in the US are covered by a private health insurance contract provided by an employer.

Answer 10

Simple answer we do not . I have not been to a doctor for a check-up in over 7-years . Many of us would rather die than to spend over $100 for a visit to a walk-in clinic .