I have always wondered this. I am Australian and we have the Medicare system, everyone pays approx 1.5% levy in their taxes so medical care is cheap. Everyone gets treatment if they need it.
Is it true that if you dont have the money to pay a doctor or hospital, say for surgery, you dont get treatment?
I have seen this in a lot of American TV shows and movies and wondered.
What about people with low incomes? And families struggling? Can they get treatment for free somewhere?
We have the option here to have private health insurance but its not compulsory. How much is your insurance, say basic, for a family etc?
2006-12-05 08:41:21 · 6 answers · asked by kate d 4 in Health ➔ Other - Health
Be happy that you live in Australia. For a routine visit I will charge a cash patient about $60 although most physicians charge twice this. The charge varies from physician to physician, from rural to urban (the latter charges more), from city to city (larger cities charge more), from state to state (Connecticult is more expensive than Louisiana for example), and by geographic region (the Northeast is more expensive than the Southeast for example). The United States is the only country on the globe which does not have some sort of structured health care. We spend more by far as an aggregage sum, more as a percent of gross national product, and more per capita than any other nation. And yet despite our Yankee arrogance we rank a pitiful 30th in the world in the quality of health care delivered. Earlier this year the New England Journal of Medicine (arguably the nation's most prestigious) published an article concluding that the likelihood of receiving appropriate care in the US was about 50%. I wrote the same in 1980 so things have not improved. To answer one question more specifically in general if you do not have health insurance you do not receive care unless you are wealthy in which case you likely have health insurance. I do see people for free if they are unable to pay and I will even pay for their prescriptions as it makes no sense to know what will make them feel better if they will be unable to purchase it. If you have specific questions or would like additional information please let me know johnerussomd@jhu.edu
2006-12-05 08:57:20 · answer #1 · answered by john e russo md facm faafp 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It truly depends on the type of private insurance you have or the government Medicare system. It's also a matter of what doctor and specialty.
All American Emergency Rooms at hospitals are bound by law that they have to stabilize a patient, whether or not they are able to pay. There are also excellent hospitals in counties/states that treat you for as much or little as you can afford.
Insurance - such as the major one, Blue Cross, on a good plan where you can choose your own doctors, for a married couple with two minor children will run about $450/month in premiums. However, they pay approximately 80-90% of a hospital stay or dr. visit, so you are wiser to have it than not.
Most companies offer insurance to their employees for no cost and the employee can pay a bit extra to add the family, too.
Honest - we're not that bad!!! :-}
2006-12-05 08:52:31 · answer #2 · answered by SUZI S 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
usually if you have insurance its only a $10 copay but if you have no health insurance its anywhere from $35 to $250 for a basic visit.
2006-12-05 08:53:15 · answer #3 · answered by Logan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is so ridiculous. My friend's sister had to be admitted to the hospital for like 3 days and the bill came out to $20,000. She applied for emergency Medicare because she didn't have a job and the government paid for it. Actually, I paid for it, because i have my own insurance, but my tax dollars still go to pay for deadbeats' medical care. I also pay for illegal mexicans' medical care and welfare mothers' braids and fake nails.
2006-12-05 09:00:07 · answer #4 · answered by damo 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
1
2017-02-27 20:51:30 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in NSUTA GHANA
2015-01-31 18:23:50 · answer #6 · answered by Miguel 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋