• came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    2 days ago

    add a few zeroes to the "fast" one, because that's concierge medicine.

    the rest of us can see six figure bills after waiting 6 months for routine bullshit.

    the idea that healthcare in the US is "fast" is a myth. the waiting times are high, staffing rates are abysmal, and health service providers are shuttering anyway.

    • propter_hog [any, any]
      ·
      edit-2
      2 days ago

      Yeah, this is a bullshit diagram to include America with either fast or good. I've waited for an operation for between six months and two years before, only to find out the appointment is actually an office visit, and at which the actual operation is scheduled, again for six months to two years out. And then you get the six-figure bill.

      • came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
        ·
        2 days ago

        I went through a shitload of hoops to get oral surgery I was referred for to be covered by my insurance and be handled by everyone in network. I had to call one place 4 times to get them to fax and email signed records to someone else and call that place 3 times to confirm they had received it and added it. that led to a 3 way conference call where the insurer said everything would be covered and not to worry, there would be no charge at all.

        which meant a $400 bill 3 months later, which I called to dispute and the insurer said that of course I would have to pay those surgery fees because those fees are never covered by insurance, silly biy. this is literally at the place I worked, my employer, charging me fees for in network services for covered and required surgery based on their consultants.

        and the best part is, relating this story to others in the states gets, "oh wow, you only paid $400 for oral surgery, that's a great deal."

        • propter_hog [any, any]
          ·
          2 days ago

          "oh wow, you only paid $400 for oral surgery, that's a great deal."

          I was honestly thinking the same thing 🤦

    • elpaso [he/him]
      ·
      2 days ago

      God help you if you need a specialist or dentist.

    • tactical_trans_karen [she/her, comrade/them]
      ·
      2 days ago

      Hell, there's a massive shortage of psychiatrists, I know recently a major insurance provider is getting out of Medicaid completely. At this rate, concierge doctors are probably competitive to paying for insurance.

      • came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
        ·
        2 days ago

        well, employers also get some kind of weird, old tax break for the "employer contribution" side of health insurance. so through creative accounting, part of a worker's compensation package is tax deductible for their employer when it goes to an insurance company.

        I think it dates back to almost WW2 and is yet another public policy giveaway to the largest capital formations and is touted as something nice your employer does for you and never something that you earn which is being stolen from you and deposited into the accounts of insurers you can't choose.

    • crime [she/her, any]
      ·
      edit-2
      2 days ago

      I'd love to learn more about concierge medicine and how that whole system works for our elites, but haven't seen any great writeups or documentaries on it. Bet it would be radicalizing for a lot of people, especially while everyone's still talking about how dogshit our health"care" is following The Adjustment