A question about access to health care.

[dolf]

NOT a political debate about the pros and cons of whatever health care systems you like and dislike, but a question about your own access to care.

Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?
Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons?
What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment?
Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?
Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?

Again, this isn't about who has the best system.

 

[Chernosoth]

I'm American and not rich, so yes to all.

 

[dolf]

Honestly, I've never thought about it.

One time my GP told me that they'd changed the range of contraceptive pills they offered, for cost reasons, but because I had a history of reacting badly to some brands she could still get my preferred one for me anyway. That's the only time cocts have been mentioned.

 

[KimGordon67]

I may have put off getting the odd prescription filled because of the cost. (This has only ever been for non-urgent medication.)
I have, in the past, put off/avoided going to the doctor because of the cost.
I used to have a recurring condition, and would often save the unused medication from one occurrence to use the next time the issue occurred, in order to avoid paying for another doctor's visit.
So 'yes' to question 1.

I waited something like two years for some surgery, but it was in the 'elective' category, and I could have had it sooner, but delayed because of work commitments.

The cost of doctor's visits and prescriptions have declined dramatically in recent years (and are entirely or mostly free for both children and people on low incomes). I had a small child at the time doctor's visits became free for children, and it made a huge difference - we had things checked way more than we would have if we'd been paying for every doctor's visits.

 

[dolf]

I may have put off getting the odd prescription filled because of the cost. (This has only ever been for non-urgent medication.)
I have, in the past, put off/avoided going to the doctor because of the cost.
I used to have a recurring condition, and would often save the unused medication from one occurrence to use the next time the issue occurred, in order to avoid paying for another doctor's visit.
So 'yes' to question 1.

I waited something like two years for some surgery, but it was in the 'elective' category, and I could have had it sooner, but delayed because of work commitments.

The cost of doctor's visits and prescriptions have declined dramatically in recent years (and are entirely or mostly free for both children and people on low incomes). I had a small child at the time doctor's visits became free for children, and it made a huge difference - we had things checked way more than we would have if we'd been paying for every doctor's visits.

We have drop-in clinics, and you can take your baby to be weighed, measured, and talk about development every week, if you want. I didn't go very often, because mine were big, healthy, and ahead of the curve, but they're great for minor worries. For the first few weeks (as they had in the last few weeks of pregnancy), midwives, then health visitors, made house calls to check on both me and the baby, how any birthing injuries were healing, feeding, etc. That's standard.

I have no idea at all how that compares to maternity care in other countries...

 

[thør]

NOT a political debate about the pros and cons of whatever health care systems you like and dislike, but a question about your own access to care.

1. Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?
2. Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons?
3. What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment?
4. Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?
5. Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?

Again, this isn't about who has the best system.

I've been fairly lucky, but i know that my immediate family's med payments have paid for a few Porsche products for the doctors.

1. not really.

2. No.

3. 6 to 8 weeks for a 'specialist'.

4. Accessing doesn't cause issue stress. Getting the f-ing insurance to pay for it has.

5. No.

The system here is not great. It very much preys on those who do not make the claims that they should.

 

[Sean]

No to all.

 

[dolf]

4. Accessing doesn't cause issue stress. Getting the f-ing insurance to pay for it has.

Huh

My only experience of making claims is with dogs and cars. With cars, they take it away and give you a replacement, it comes home good as new, and the only debate is between companies over whose insurance pays. With dogs, the vet fills in the form, you pay the excess, and that's it.

Explain it for the clueless?

 

[KimGordon67]

We have drop-in clinics, and you can take your baby to be weighed, measured, and talk about development every week, if you want. I didn't go very often, because mine were big, healthy, and ahead of the curve, but they're great for minor worries. For the first few weeks (as they had in the last few weeks of pregnancy), midwives, then health visitors, made house calls to check on both me and the baby, how any birthing injuries were healing, feeding, etc. That's standard.

I have no idea at all how that compares to maternity care in other countries...

Oh, maternity care directly after the birth is great here, and entirely free through pregnancy and for the first couple of months (if not longer). But the free health care has been extended to kids up to ... 16, I think. Around there.

 

[dolf]

Oh, maternity care directly after the birth is great here, and entirely free through pregnancy and for the first couple of months (if not longer). But the free health care has been extended to kids up to ... 16, I think. Around there.

That's awesome!

 

[Champakian]

Only the dentist...



Who the hell wants to go to the dentist for anything other than routine cleaning?

 

[oggbashan]

.....

 

[Liar]

Never been worried about the economic side of it. Since there isn't one.

Delays or quality of care have never been an issue. Had to wait 2 weeks between desicion and execution of non-emergency surgery. But I haven't so far had any issue that requires any niche specialist so that might not be a good indicator.

But I reeeeally don't like the hospital experience so I'm sometimes an idiot and put off going hoping whatever ails me will go away. And I drag my heels for regular checkups. And then I get told I'm an idiot for not showing up earlier.

I fully assume this will some time come around and bite me.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?

No

Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons?

No

What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment?

None.

Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?

No

Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?

No

I'm in the VA system and couldn't be happier. I don't have any major medical issues though. I take blood pressure pills and the VA mails me a new supply (no cost to me) every three months automatically. The VA hospital is a long way away, but the out patient clinic (where I go twice a year) is about 45 minutes and a very nice drive. It has one doctor, one nurse, one blood taker and one admin person. Very homey.

I did have to go to the emergency room at my local (non-VA) hospital in November for the covid, but I gave them my VA card, got taken care of, and never heard another peep about it. No paperwork or hassle. The VA sent a nurse to my house a few times afterwards to check on me. She took Larry for a walk.

 

[adrina]

Yes - even with insurance, medical care is costly and burdensome. Unless you have cadillac insurance. Which most US citizens don't have.

No

It's weird... everything is a line of events that can take weeks or months in between just depending what it is. (Consultation, testing, analysis, diagnosis, further consultation, treatment etc.) Thankfully the most I have ever had to wait is a couple few weeks between each, but I have family and friends that have been in revolving door relationships with the medical industry as they go through their lines of events.

God yes. Everything is stressful when dealing with the medical industry, doctors, insurers... it can literally turn into a full time job.

My family did yes. There was a lot of collective work digging us out of that hole.

 

[Champakian]

She hates corporations too...




:shrug:

 

[silver gurl]

Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?No. When I was in the States, I had insurance. In Canada, it is free

Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons? No.

What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment? Stateside, only a couple of weeks. Canada, a good year for specialists.

Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?No

Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?No.

 

[jomar]

NOT a political debate about the pros and cons of whatever health care systems you like and dislike, but a question about your own access to care.

Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?
Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons?
What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment?
Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?
Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?

Again, this isn't about who has the best system.

No
No
A few weeks for a non-emergency appointment
No
No

But thankfully my health needs are very minimal

 

[InternationalFunboy]

Huh

My only experience of making claims is with dogs and cars. With cars, they take it away and give you a replacement, it comes home good as new, and the only debate is between companies over whose insurance pays. With dogs, the vet fills in the form, you pay the excess, and that's it.

Explain it for the clueless?

This may not illustrate what thor means by his post, but insurance companies are a robotic and non-compassionate lot of vampires that can all fuck right off IMO. Example...

Some classic posters know that I lived in New Orleans when hurricane Katrina landed there. A recurring story in the wake of the storm was the insurance companies that refused to pay for damages to people's homes, in many cases completely destroyed homes, because the damage was "technically" flood damage and not hurricane damage. It was infuriating.

 

[InternationalFunboy]

NOT a political debate about the pros and cons of whatever health care systems you like and dislike, but a question about your own access to care.

Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?
Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons?
What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment?
Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?
Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?

Again, this isn't about who has the best system.

For me, I've been lucky to have rarely needed to rely on the system. My few brushes with it have been a wash, equally fine at best and shitty at worst. Points 1-3 I've not experienced. I would also say I've not had financial problems per se, but I had a billing issue that stretched out for 18 months and became very threatening from a collections perspective. It was their fault, but I had no recourse. This exasperated me after awhile.

Nowadays when I have any sort of ailment I go to a "Minute Clinic". Here I can see a general practitioner for a small fee with no fuss. I hesitate to go to larger clinics where I feel immersed in their entire web of processes and protocols that I end up learning by trial and error.

 

[adrina]

For me, I've been lucky to have rarely needed to rely on the system. My few brushes with it have been a wash, equally fine at best and shitty at worst. Points 1-3 I've not experienced. I would also say I've not had financial problems per se, but I had a billing issue that stretched out for 18 months and became very threatening from a collections perspective. It was their fault, but I had no recourse. This exasperated me after awhile.

Nowadays when I have any sort of ailment I go to a "Minute Clinic". Here I can see a general practitioner for a small fee with no fuss. I hesitate to go to larger clinics where I feel immersed in their entire web of processes and protocols that I end up learning by trial and error.

I had one stretch out years. I ended up paying it - wasn't going to allow them to trash my credit - only to be refunded a year later when they discovered the error. Ridiculous.

 

[InternationalFunboy]

I had one stretch out years. I ended up paying it - wasn't going to allow them to trash my credit - only to be refunded a year later when they discovered the error. Ridiculous.

Agree.

For me I eventually went to my employer's benefits people. In hindsight this should have been stop #1, but I tend to forget help like this exists having mostly fended for myself for a long time. I owe a co-worker who clued me in, "that's what they are there for dummy."
They sorted it in half an hour. It was access and standing, which they have and I, nor any regular person do not, which enabled them to do this. Turns out the ER mischarged me by 20 dollars. Had any of the correspondence indicated this I'd have handled it. But nah....the impenetrable corporate steamroller just rolled on. I was getting a bullshit bill and I could not get a useful answer out of anyone as to why. I was lucky to have someone with clout to represent me.

 

[Paul_Chance]

NOT a political debate about the pros and cons of whatever health care systems you like and dislike, but a question about your own access to care.

Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?
Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons?
What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment?
Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?
Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?

Again, this isn't about who has the best system.

1. No, I've always gone when I needed to. (As a child I was covered under IHS (Indian Health Services - crappy, but free to enrolled members. Then as a young adult I was in the Army. Then as an adult I've always been employed and had good-to-great insurance.)

2. No, never.
3. Every wait has been reasonable, based on the issue being addresses. Never anything I felt was unreasonable. Some non-urgent things I've scheduled a couple of months out. Every thing else was handled promptly.
4. No, not really.
5. No, never have.

 

[BoyNextDoor]

No to all the questions, but I do not have a chronic condition and have never had a massive healthcare event.

I would ask those same questions to someone who had a sudden onset or a chronic condition.

ETA: And I have had healthcare insurance my whole life with no gaps.

 

[neci]

Have you ever delayed, hesitated to, or not sought care at all, for financial reasons?

yes.

Have you ever been declined any particular treatment for financial reasons?

yes.

What sort of times have you had to wait for tests, care or treatment?

as long as i could pay, i was seen.

Does accessing health care cause you stress and anxiety?

yes.

Have you ever had financial problems because of your health?

yes.

i did not have problems when i worked for a large company, but being self employed or a contract worker, health insurance is a nightmare. i have found it cheaper to pay out of pocket for routine visits and hope i don't get really sick. i know all it takes is one time, but even after i paid out of pocket last year for an ER visit, it was still cheaper than what insurance and deductibles would have cost. it's a gamble. i paid out of pocket for an MRI last year - $350 cash pay. the price they were charging insurance was $2200. the MRI was cheaper than what i was quoted for a bronze tier health plan with a high deductible. i know people in their 20's who pay less than $100 a month for insurance, but i've never seen that quote. it's frustrating that i can either do what i want to do with my professional life and not have insurance, or sell my soul to some large company that i don't want to work for in order to have a lesser quality of life and have insurance.