In America do people really die or get seriously ill because of they don't have money for healthcare?

Question

(or I guess anywhere else in the world where you have to pay for it)Because I've heard this but I don't know if it happens or how common it is

selfishstars · Accepted Answer

"According to a 2009 study by Harvard Medical School, 45,000 people die each year, mainly because they lack health insurance. People aged 64 and under who don’t have health care insurance have a 40 percent higher risk of death than those who do have insurance, the study found."

link

One thing that you have to consider is preventative health. If you have health insurance, you're much more likely to be getting routine physicals or going to the doctor if you notice something wrong. If you don't have health insurance, you're much less likely to do these things because they cost a lot of money (money that you might not have). If your having symptoms of something, you're much more likely to put off going to a doctor until they get much more severe. If you aren't getting yearly breast exams or pap smears, chances are that you're not going to know that you have breast or cervical cancer until it's very far along.

This means that something that may have been a small issue may become a BIG issue before the person ever goes to the doctor. Something that may have been caught in the early stages might not be noticed until the late stages, etc.

So, in cases of emergency, a person without insurance can be treated in the emergency room, but often they're being treated much later than they should have been (and thus have a higher rate of mortality).

Also, the uninsured also have far less options in terms of treatment, or may forgo treatment due to the high costs associated (again, resulting in a higher rate of mortality).

(I have to admit, I'm Canadian, so this might not be 100% accurate, but the basic ideas still stand).

nonetooshy · Accepted Answer

It's not very common, but it does happen.  There are some social welfare programs like Medicare and Medicaid, but they don't cover nearly as much as private insurance does.  Plus, they usually don't cover preventative medicine as much as "responsive" medicine, which is actually much more costly and risky for the patient.  The more frequent problem, though, is that people without adequate insurance still get treated but then get stuck with a bill they can't possibly pay, forcing them into bankruptcy or to use their lives' savings leaving them nothing for retirement, their mortgage, their kid's college, and other emergencies.

mattygfromtheMD32 · Accepted Answer

I mean, a hospital is going to treat you if you're life and death (I don't believe they ask for proof of insurance while you're a step away from the Great Beyond) but they sure as hell charge you when you're up and about. I don't know how the f*** people pay it off. Probably comes from taxes. I remember one guy in a TV show (Grey's Anatomy) needed a surgery after getting hit by a car or something and when he woke up he said he wished they hadn't performed the surgery because the medical bills were going to destroy his life and livelihood anyway.

martyfellow · Accepted Answer

Uh..yes, that's why we're below many other countries in average life span. And we spend a lot more becase doctors have to eventually treat ADVANCED cases that could have been caught earlier, and treatment would have been easier and a LOT cheaper. People won't go until the symptoms are bad because of money issues..and then they turn up at emergency rooms with complicated, advanced cancer and the like.

So long as coporate shills like Rombambi run the country, it will continue to be this way.

smallguy · Answer

Personaly I think you currently have a very discriminative health system. Sometimes I participate in conferences but I keep silent about the issue.

I had a fried who had to drive 110 miles to get chemotherapy and another had to sell their house for an elective life saving operation. That is plain ridiculous.

Izzy2102 · Answer

It happens and it too common even with people who do have health insurance. Depending on what kind of plan you're on insurance companies don't cover everything and if you get serious sick, like cancer or some other chronical disease you can't afford treatment even if you have to pay only a samll percentage,

Health care should be federal. I really don't see any logical reason why it shouldn't

Anonymous · Answer

If you're actually dying, a hospital isn't going to turn you away. I believe a lot of low income people have that option in some states. I know in mine they definitely have it for children. Others could get lower end health care, but most tend to forgo it for their creature comforts.

TheUglyOne · Answer

At least in this country people can use the emergency room as their primary physician lol.

In China, with no socialized medicine, no pay, no live.

On the other hand, since their hospitals don't treat deadbeats, their costs are much lower.

TheGodEmperorLeto · Answer

Yes, it's actually pretty significant. Of course the right wing retards won't admit it and think it's all the victim's fault. But that seems common with them. Rape, lack of health care, etc, whatever it is. Always the victim's fault.

KingsOfleon88 · Answer

Everyone around the world should have access to adequate health care. I guess sometimes people don't realize how fortunate we really are.

Anonymous · Answer

i guess it happens but I doubt its that common , most people with a serious health condition would try and get some kind of coverage

sweet_18 · Answer

Yes it does happen. Also, it's really difficult to get into homeless shelters because there are so many homeless people

jacquesvol · Answer

Well,

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, it happens. Take a look at the movie SICKO.

Anonymous · Answer

Poor people do

Ms-Frog · Answer

Yep, and it sucks.

In America do people really die or get seriously ill because of they don't have money for healthcare?

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