Sick in U.S. more likely to skip care than elsewhere

[Roy Rolling]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Americans who have a chronic illness or serious health problems are more likely to struggle to pay their medical bills or have problems getting needed care than adults with similar problems in other high-income countries, a survey released on Wednesday found.

The poll of more than 18,000 adults in the United States and 10 other high-income countries found that Americans were most likely to have problems getting needed care because of the cost, or to medical debt, according to data released by the Commonwealth Fund.

"Despite spending far more on health care than any other country, the United States practically stands alone when it comes to people with illness or chronic conditions having difficulty affording health care and paying medical bills," Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis said in a statement.

"This is a clear indication of the urgent need for Affordable Care Act reforms geared toward improving coverage and controlling health care costs."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/09/us-survey-idUSTRE7A84QA20111109

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What can I say? The "leader of the free world" treats its citizens more shabbily than any other similarly-situated country in the world. The health care and health insurance industry in the U.S. makes a generous profit off of the suffering of others. They are no better than third-world dictators or predatory drug pushers.

[bemildred]

1. I avoid "health care", but not just because of the money. nt

[onehandle]

2. Yep. My father-in-law skipped care a few months ago. Now after weeks in hospital...

...he's having major surgery. The bills, so far, are over a million dollars.

[Crazy Dave]

3. My wife is skipping going to the doctor right now because we can't afford it

And we even have health insurance.

[PassingFair]

25. My 53 year old brother DIED because of intermittant insurance.

He had health care through his wife's job, but because
she was a teacher who got fired at the end of the school
year, his health coverage was choppy.

He had gone in and had his diabetic issues diagnosed
and he had begun treatment for that, and he had had
his teeth taken care of, but his on again, off again
coverage, coupled with the 2 previous years when his
wife DIDN'T get rehired, caused his heart condition
to go undetected.

He dropped dead October 1st from a massive heart attack.

No one knew he HAD a problem....

[Crazy Dave]

30. Sorry to hear about your brother

My wife is actually a teacher and you'd think the state would take better care of its employees but with the high deductibles and co-pays, she can't go to see why her back has been killing her these past two weeks. Average visit costs about $250 for her out of pocket.

[xchrom]

4. recommend

[No Elephants]

5. Gee, I can't imagine why people in the U.S. skip care.

[DaveJ]

7. $35,000 per day can have that effect

But it's all about the job creators...

[valerief]

19. No, it's about the deficit. And national security. And any other turd words that come out of their

filthy mouths.

[phantom power]

6. Internalizing the fact that we're not #1 (or even #15) would be a good thing for Americans.

Understanding that you have a problem is the first step on the road to recovery.

[DaveJ]

8. We're about on par with Mexico

We should internalize the fact that we have much more in common with Mexico than Europe. When it comes to healthcare, it's 300 pesos for a visit to a specialist, just like it's 300 dollars here. And the folks running things are equally corrupt.

[dotymed]

9. Yet, the "average" person that I speak to in TN. think that

American health care, while overpriced, is still "the best in the world." Wow. great advertising is everything. Profits make it happen.

[freshwest]

12. Nailed it. The glamorization of the medical industry, specializing in profits over people.

I'm not talking about the dedicated individuals; the business itself. Insurance for healthcare is a misnomer. People have phases of injury or illness; it's not something that should be gambled with and sold on the marketplace to the make the most profit by squeezing them until they die.

[City Lights]

10. No one could have predicted...

Our system of health "care" sucks.

[valerief]

20. The "system" is give money to rich people and get little or nothing for it.

The money is given via insurance premiums and taxes. It buys jets and yachts and WAR and bullshit.

[City Lights]

21. Spot on!

:grr:

[Turbineguy]

11. This is why

the country is vulnerable to an epidemic.

[MountainLaurel]

23. Yup

In a job after 9-11 but during the Shrub regime, I attended a conference on terrorism where a panel of public health experts noted that the lack of universal healthcare was a homeland security issue. A pathogen released on public transportation would affect the people most vulnerable -- aren't eating right and in less than fabulous health to begin with -- who simultaneously don't seek medical help until they're really, really ill yet have access to large numbers of people, at fast-food counters, day-care centers, schools, office buildings where they clean or work maintenance, etc. By the time the authorities caught on to a problem, it would be too late.

[rurallib]

13. I have a friend who is a senator's aide

She was stunned one day when a constituent said that if he were to have a heart attack he wanted to die right there, because he had no insurance.
She asked the other 20 or so in the room how many were in agreement and all 20 hands went up.
each and every one cited no insurance or high deductible/ concern about coverage.

[alp227]

14. but but but but...I thought that sick people would benefit from PRIVATE CHARITY

so we don't need no stinkin' soshulist medicine! That's what Ron Paul told me, and he's the BOSS...RON PAUL 2012! FREEDOM! REVOLUTION! LOW TAXES! :sarcasm:

But wow. I thought that America could be better than this.

[TBF]

16. Sure, except that POTUS just announced he's going to change the deductions for charitable

giving ... the result will be fewer donations, and thus less charity. So good luck paying for medical care that way ...

[dotymed]

24. It used to be ILLEGAL in America

for hospitals not to treat individuals to their fullest ability. Mow, they are required to stabilize (very broad interpretation; band-aid on GSW, those unable to pay. They now legally have two classifications of hospitals; for -profit and non-profit.

[raccoon]

15. It took a survey to find this out? nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

18. Hey, survey companies gotta make a living, too

So they send lobbyists to washington with great ideas, like "survey the obvious"

[TBF]

17. We have enough income that I can usually scrape together enough to get my kids in

when I need to - but I'll push back my own appointments if I have other expenses that take precedence. I would be surprised if I'm the only parent who does that.

[Javaman]

22. in the US, the cure costs you more than the disease.

you either die a slow death, by not going or you die the fast death of financial bankruptcy by going.

hell of a choice.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

26. What surprise? It's simple supply and demand

most people don't have enough money supplied to meet the health care/insurance cost demands.

[Marthe48]

27. We pay $630.00/m for 'health insurance'

and then pay for everything we get on top of that. I got a chest cold last spring, and ended up paying almost 250.00 for the office call, and a chest xray. Meds were another $35.00. So I skipped my mammogram, my annual pap exam and quit taking HRT, to keep my home budget balanced.

Health insurance is a racket. Medical care is a product. If my husband predeceases me, I'm opting out entirely. I can understand how people paying 'protection money' feel.

[Marthe48]

28. Oh yeah -- nobody has ever got off the planet alive

so why does the medical community keep pretending they can change that?

[CreekDog]

29. between lack of insurance, or lack of affordable access to care, or lack of sick leave, or...

fear that a medical problem while uninsured will stop them from getting insurance later...

can i stop now? :wtf: