A shocking 92 percent of US adults are not going to the doctor because it’s too expensive

Insurers want this for us. It's like a subscription fee you've forgotten about or a gym membership you keep telling yourself you'll start using again. The existing establishment wants their lobby money to keep flowing. Bringing in new leaders who actually care about the people should be the voters goal. I think we're waking up as a populace but we've got everything working against us. We just needed the world to literally burn around us to give a shit tho.

Edit: stats they aren't even paying a lot of money to accomplish their goal.

Slaves are easy to control when they are afraid. Afraid to get sick, afraid to get help, because they are afraid to go in debt.

One has to wonder if it is a type of depopulation thing.

Rolls around in free checkups, hospital visits, and cheap medications.

No, you wouldn't want this. It's awful! Your GDP couldn't possibly afford it.

Not the trump voters. N

The problem is that our political system... what remains of it at this point.. is rigged to represent the dumbest 1/3rd of the population with roughly 3/5th of the effective governmental lawmaking power.

If it’s still possible for voting to work, we have to get rid of all the establishment corpo-critters, the ones taking money from AIPAC, etc. Many leftist social dems are winning primaries, get them in office this November and maybe we can stem the tide. Maybe.

Just like Biden was interested in $15 an hour?

Just like Trump was interested in no wars?

(it doesn't matter what they say they are interested in. Don't be a sucker)

💚💚💚

Whether you're counting in dollars or lives

Well, this is from a British newspaper and Britain has the National Health Service, so it makes sense that for them this is "shocking".

Further, given the image that America has projected to the World in the last half-century, the news about Public Health in that country being basically what you see in the 3rd World would be "shocking" for those who believed that image of America.

I mean, plenty of people outside America still believe ridiculous shit like Americans being wealthy (most are not: the mean level of wealth of Americans is less than those of Portuguese, one of the poorest nations in the EU), their Military being very powerful (*cough* Iran *cough*) or the Justice System in the US being fair.

We are exhausting the same option over and over and over. I think its probably gonna happen the next time democrats run a hope and change candidate in 2108.

Where? 1/6/2021.

Oh, reasonable and justified calls. Sorry, no,all out those. We'll be doing the 24th No Kings protest instead.

most of the time you don’t get any help.

That hasn't been my experience at all. Actually getting in to see a doctor has been a big deal for me, personally, over the last few years.

Just last month, I had a really painful chronic cough going on weeks. Went in, got diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia, handed a prescription for antibiotics, and was feeling significantly better within hours after taking it.

A year before that, had a days long debilitating back spasm. Dragged myself to an urgent care, got an injection and some oral anti-inflammatories, and was back on my feet before the end of the week.

My son was born premature, two years ago. The NICU in Houston took him from death's door to on track for normal development over an intensive 18 weeks of care.

Mother-in-law got diagnosed with breast cancer six months ago. Was in treatment inside two weeks. Surgery at MD Anderson. Pronounced cancer clear a month later.

And then there's COVID. At least three different instances where a visit to the doctor radically improved the condition of myself and my family.

Health Care in this country is borderline miraculous when you can actually get it.

But then the bills come rolling in, and it feels significantly less magical.

I have health insurance through work and I stopped visiting the doctor because I never get any help. It's like pulling teeth to get a medication I want and any concerns I have are dismissed entirely. If not for the fact it pays for emergency care I wouldn't have it at all. If I get a serious injury I would absolutely need it, but for the past few years all it's done is decrease my income.

(what is PT?) And jeeeez...1200 moneyzs for some scans that didn't even lead somewhere? I'd be furious. Your system is really broken :-(

I mean I have to pay medical bills too (germany, privately insured not public, then it would just be free) but I get it back later by the insurance. With every year not producing any costs I even get back a portion of the money they take monthly. And we still complain....probably shouldn't.

I've had "good" insurance for almost a decade now, but I could never find a doctor that was in-network, taking new patients, and less than 50 miles away. I was calling around locally every three months, like clockwork, for years.

I finally got lucky this week, so I've got an appointment in October. The receptionist asked me when my last physical was, and I said 2004. She said, "Oh, so not in the last year then?"

They love other people dying. They're just willing to guarantee their own death to make that a reality.

I also love the claim that it will take so much longer to receive care. I’m trying to find a new therapist, and even with my amazing health insurance I’m looking at October 28th at the earliest with any therapist, or January for one that seems more aligned with my issues.

Had suicidal ideation a few days ago. Tried to check into a local crisis center. They declined admission and basically told me get a new therapist, try yoga and meditation. One of the therapists the suggested isn’t taking new clients, the other doesn’t accept my insurance.

I’m holding on as best as I can, but the system failing me like this isn’t making life any easier. I do still have a therapist that I will see by the end of this week, but he basically just listens and says “wow that’s sounds incredibly painful”.

It's because in the current system our healthcare is tied to our employment. And that's how they want it. It leaves you beholden to your employer.

i think they are complacent, because some of them are well off enough to have "insurance" through thier employers that the insurance is willing to pay for most of the cost. when they see copays of 15-40$, they dont actually see its really 300-420$ actual cost per visit.

dental is even worst, they think tooth extraction is only a couple hundred when its actual 500-700$ on average as Out of pocket, and 400$ for root canal instead of 1200-2000$/tooth(not including crowns. and some dental pratices will upcharge. i had to go to an emergency dentist recently, and they charge an arm and leg for most things, even when compared to other dentists around them, they are like 50-100% more expensive. they are fine for emergency dental appts but not for general care. luckily i was able to find cheaper dentists around to take care of a severe tooth issue.

I had/have a chronic long term injury. I was referred to a specialist. Wait time was 5 MONTHS to see the specialist. In non-stop pain.

I go in after crossing an ocean of pain. Guy looks at my paperwork for 30 seconds. Looks at me. Tells me I was sent to the wrong place and gives me the number for the right office. I was charged a little over $400 for 5 minutes with the wrong person after 5 months. I never paid it. Not sure if I got sent to collections. I don't care.

I got charged $860 for a urine drug test because my physician required it before they would refill my meds, because it's their organizational policy. My insurance covered a little more than half, so now they are trying to stick me with a $300+ bill for a test that was never medically indicated, that I never asked for, that had no potential benefit to my health, but was required BY THEM to get my prescription refilled.

I'm a fucking middle aged man with young kids and I'm on Adderall. You really think I'm selling my fucking meds after being on them for 20+ years?

I reported them to the state for racketeering and I'm waiting to hear back, but the hospital has already sent a message that they are 'reviewing' things.

They charge 3-4x the standard rate for the test, and then refuse to refill your meds until you've taken the test, and they do so without any cause

I don't do electronic intake forms where possible.

Like when they text me in advance definitely not.

When they give me something in the waiting room I just do basic details.

When paying exorbitant rates I don't think talking to a human is too much to ask.

This is true, better health and lower costs, but all the proof in the world won't change the maga team to support it. Some of them have what they think is "good insurance" and think they're special and don't want it for all. Lots of selfishness rather than raise all boats, it's part of the cowboy lore they like to pretend they are lol.

I donno. I spend $750,000 minimum a year and I've never seen a bill. I have stage 5 kidney failure and go to dialysis 3 days a week. I have United (private) Medicare and Medicaid. My United is $750/mo but I don't have to pay it.

I know it's easy to shit on America and it's the thing to do currently, but when you cherry pick the worst situations, sure it looks like shit. I could say the same in universal insurance countries. There are people there waiting 2-3 years for a MRI or are left in gurney in the halls for days before being looked at. Does that mean that's the norm? No

Just saying, if you want to be ignorant for your nerarive then that's cool, do you no hate. But that doesn't mean it's true regardless of your opinion.

or when doctors in many networks are forced to only see thier pateints at 20minutes or less.

Don't worry. You go to the doctor and pay out the ass just to be told the most basic irrelevant blood work came back normal, so there's nothing wrong with you, it's probably just stress and anxiety, and don't come back unless you have one of the 5 conditions that the office actually treats.

It is not profitable to have well staffed clinics.

https://www.hfma.org/fast-finance/private-equity-hospital-cuts/

There's a shortage of healthcare professionals in usa. Good for business I suppose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physician_shortage_in_the_United_States

The last time I saw my doctor, the amount of times she interrupted and spoke over me to speed things up and got everything wrong was amazing. There was an important thing I left having not addressed at all!

Good news alert! Your debt was cancelled, your available credit and rating just went up, congratulations!

I have insurance with a high deductible and copays. It doesn't help. It cost me $60 to see an orthopedic specialist to say we didn't need to do steroid injections yet. Just to see them, it's five times the cost for said shots. Our entire system is a sham.

If you didn't know, congress artificially caps the number of people that can become doctors each year (I believe it's the funding for residency spots). That's the main idiotic reason there's not enough doctors.

Its notoriously expensive to go to med school, not to mention that most people who could go and pass absolutely should NOT be doctors for emotional intelligence reasons. I think the population is cooked and the incentives dont exist past altruism

not the shitty mega farm cows, but some of the more bougie farm cows have better care than we do.

i think nurses are churned out enough, but they get abused way too much so they leave or work less, or become travelling nurses. DOCTOR is where the problem, High med school cost, competitive, also AMA gatekeeps the licensing.

America complains about Canadians paying more taxes but I guarantee you I have never paid $10k a year in taxes that would just go towards our free healthcare.

Every report like this uses a small sample size to represent the entire population. Do you think they're surveying 400 million people?

The question is, how did they get these 1500 people, and can it be repeated? If so, then the data is valid.

But basically, a lot hangs on how random their sample size was. Did they stick to one area? Did they stick to one age group, sex, etc. All in all, if the sample group is random, 1500 people is a valid measure for this data.

After this, there needs to be peer review. Other institutions need to be able to repeat the results with their own random groups.

But, 1500 is a great sample size. Just need to make sure it's random and repeatable.

92% of the time I should go to the doctor I don't because I can't afford to.

The other 8% I'm unconscious or need to be literally put back together beyond what super glue and electrical tape can handle.

American healthcare is expensive enough that a significant minority of Americans are delaying needed care because they cannot afford it

Is this not too strong wording to the point where it may be downplaying it?

Would it be safer to say American healthcare is expensive enough that a significant number of Americans are delaying needed care because they cannot afford it?

Thanks for the better numbers/articles.

Is the conclusion AI-written?

Ah, I see you got the Medicaid letter as well?

I didn't expect it to be this high, because I remember the debates around Obamacare. People would say "but I like my insurance", and I don't know if there has been a massive change since then, or if people are holding these contradictory ideas in their heads.

News for you, water is not actually wet.

YES, and the initial upfront cost for a visit can be in the hundreds, and leading to potential more expensive testing proceudres, or scans.

So any major dental procedures

Straight to mexico

End stage capitalism comes for us all eventually. Today us, tomorrow you.

Insurers love people who pay their work plan's monthly premium without ever visiting a doctor. It's free money!

The problem is my doctor doesn't accept trump coins

I have like 3 dozen lipomas. They are so annoying.

No you should go to the ER and it shouldn't even be a tough decision. They can triage just fine. You're not a burden to a properly run hospital.

Americans are choosing to stay home and let their brain swell up after getting knocked in the head because ER trip means falling deeper into the abyss rather than being pulled from it.

I think most people consider being sick at all reason to see a doctor. I think its pretty easy to gauge if im "wait 2 hours for a walk in appointment" sick or "Drink some green tea and binge a tv show" sick

if you dont think 500$ ER visit is expensive i have another thing to tell you, or 300-400$ PCP visits.