That sounds like such a nightmare. Whenever I think about the possibility of moving back to the States, I always wonder about health care. If I couldn’t find a job with health care benefits, how would I ever be able to afford insurance for my wife and I and two kids? I can’t even imagine. In Japan, I pay roughly $140 a month for myself and two kids. And we can see any doctor we want.
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Unless you are independently wealthy, the cost for a family of four wouldn't make sense. I see now why people go without it and get into debt over medical bills. Is the $140 subsidized though a company? When I was at the investment bank I think I was only paying around that.
And what happens when you're old and retire? Medicare. Same system. So my grandfather is a miracle, was supposed to die about 4 times already and I have rushed home more than once for him to make a ridiculous recovery in less than 24 hours. Strokes, skin cancer, chrones disease, mersa, the list goes on. He's the most sickly out of anyone in the family but we joke he will outlast us all. Anyways, the guy has a colostamy bag, and that coupled with the chrones means he doesn't get enough nutrients to keep his body functioning. He needs IV nutrients every day. Medicare decided he didn't need it because it costs $1000/day and he wound up in the hospital for two weeks, too weak to be functioning. Only now do they realize the importance of the $1000/day which is nothing to them, compared to what a two week hospital stay costs! So in order to try to save a few bucks, they experiment with people's health. THAT is why I'm afraid to use this program.
Yeah, the money I pay is subsidized. I’m not sure what it would cost me otherwise, but I think it would still be under $300 a month. For some reason the number 240 stands out in my memory, but it’s been a while since I’ve paid for the national health care system over here. It’s really unfortunate that there isn’t a reasonable and effective health care system in the States. Lack of preventative care wastes so many resources of all kinds.
I was just complaining about that! It costs way less for preventative care than to fix problems after the fact. I was also thinking that if I had to work a couple jobs to make ends meet, or had a traditional job on the books somewhere, then this medicare procedure where you have to see a bunch of doctors and make multiple appointments before seeing the doctor you really need is just another layer of bullshit poor people need to navigate through. When I had fancy insurance, I spent an hour away from my desk, max two if the doctor wasnt close to work. Now that I have govt insurance, Ill have to go to three appointments before they will address the actual problem I contacted them about. On the fourth appointment, I'll get fitted for a crown on my tooth that Ill need to pay for out of pocket anyways. So in theory, I'm losing money for all those days I've got to put in for leave as opposed to taking my one appointment and being done with it on my lunch break with no penalty to my paycheck. How does this make any sense at all? The people who need the most financial help are the ones having to jump through the most hoops and suffer for it.
It sounds pretty ridiculous to me, and pretty similar to the whole idea of having enough money to be able to afford to buy in bulk, which then saves you both money, and time (in not having to go shopping every other day or every week). Again, the people who need the money and time are locked out.
exactly my thoughts! its easy to save money when you have it. easy to make money when you have it to spend it first.