US Health Care System

Just had a thought that I want to share with you.

A few times during my time so far here in NZ the U.S. health care system has come up in my conversations - what with Obamacare in the news and all - and it's been really interesting trying to explain to people from other countries how health care/private health insurance works. (Different prices whether you have insurance or not - then you have to pay for health insurance each month - then you have a deductible - then some things are covered and other things aren't - then what happens if you don't pay or can't pay - etc....). For some people, like Lasma (Latvia), it is hard to describe our system in a way that even makes sense to her. I think I'm getting there but she is having trouble comprehending how a trip to the ER could cost $500 or a doctors office visit could be $200+. In Latvia, Lasma would pay somewhere around $10 to visit the doctor. The only other place she's lived, in England, everything was free. It is amazing how very different our system is from that in other countries. After describing all this to her she doesn't even want to come visit the US because she's too worried about getting sick and not being able to afford the medical bills. It really is amazing just how much more complicated our system is - irregardless of whether it's a better or worse system- than other developed nations.

That's all on that.

Best!