Doctors Explain Why U.S. Healthcare Is So Expensive (HBO)

VICE News visited a bunch of doctors in an attempt to make sense of our convoluted health care costs. What do the doctors say is needed to improve overall cost and care? Many of them shared the same solution.
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[@VICENews]

What I see is that there is a tremendous amount of greed on the part of the insurance companies" WATCH MORE on administrative health coverage: bit.ly/2ya5JtM

[@chaselevinson7950]

This doesn't make sense. The doctors are complaining that healthcare is expensive because insurance doesn't pay them - the doctors who makes hundreds of thousands of dollars per year - enough? If anything, those "greedy" insurance companies seem like one of the cost containing pressures in the system!

[@orcman8296]

It's not just the insurance companies. It's also incompetent doctors. I have a friend who went to the hospital for a simple over night procedure and ended up staying in the hospital for three months because his doctors totally fucked up.

[@FlyingDoctorC]

Whether in Europe, Canada, USA, Cuba. Not everyone can afford 1 hour physical or a BMW. You can’t have utopia. Pick only 2 out of 3: 1) universal healthcare 2) quality care 3) affordable care

[@gpecaut1]

The lowest ins payments to doctors come from Medicaid and Medicare. Part of the reason your insurance is so high is that 17% of every dime you spend on insurance is ACA tax, to pay the subsidies to cover those that get their ACA insurance subsidized. By law the rest of those premiums require that 83% be used for pay outs for claims. That means the insurance company only gets 17% of 83% of the premiums collected to advertise, manage, maintain their offices, and pay their employees. Just these expenses use up 85% of the food stamp programs funding, so the "greedy insurance companies" are much more efficient than government. The other factor that drives up medical costs, and thus insurance rates is the providers have to tack extra on to cover the expenses not paid. That's right, part of your bill is covering the unpaid parts of Medicaid, Medicare, and the dead beats that skip out on their bills. Your bill also has to cover some very expenses malpractice insurance for the doctor and the hospital. On a child birth bill, over half the money went for this insurance, so that if you don't have a perfect baby, you can sue the $h!+ out of them. That is why tort reform could drastically cut medical expenses. Please note that all the countries that have low cost, or single payer government insurance have limits on the amount one can sue for malpractice. The sky is the limit here. Thus ending ACA could give us an immediate 17% reduction in insurance costs, even greater cuts in the cost of medical care would come with tort reform. That would lower insurance rates too. On the other hand,... When they say Medicare for all, most don't realize how expensive that is. You are already paying 3% of your gross wages for Medicare you can't get until you are 66. Then at 67 you get to pay a premium for any coverage that is worth anything. Plus the mandatory prescription insurance too. That's 3% of your gross income over more than 40 years plus the premiums for the insurance that most won't use for more than 12 years. With Medicare for all, all would be using the insurance, so the prepayment would have to be packed up front. As much as 3% times 40 years or 120% of your gross wages. Then that would have to be charged back like a 40 years loan, with interest. And that assumes everyone is working and paying their premium. Plus Medicare doesn't cover braces, child birth, and many other claims younger people have. Infact it isn't nearly as much coverage as Medicaid, or even the Bronze ACA policies provide. Now, as far as the US not having good health care. We have the highest survival rates in the world for cancer, cardiac arrest, and have improved to second for CVAs (strokes). We score low only because we don't have free medical care for all. Yes we do spend 20% of GDP on medical care, but that includes elective care too ( boobs, nose jobs, Botox, lipo suction, lasix, etc). (Military only uses 7.5% of the budget, or 7.5% out of 4 trillion) England spends 40% of their GDP, and they do not have the care we have here. When you can't get free medical care in Mexico, they jump the border and get free care here. When they can't wait any longer for care in Canada, they come here. And even if you are an illeagle alien and need care for any life threatening illness, or injury, you get free care here. And that means we have to cover those costs in the bills of the paying patients. Nothing is free, someone has to pay. Make enough free stuff available and it pays better to not work. That's why Socialism doesn't work. Sooner or later, you run out of other people's money. Earn what you own Own what you earn

[@Tobias-fe2hm]

@@gpecaut1 im not even going to look up what you wrote, half is bullshit

[@lufo4599]

I'm American. Came to South Korea planning to stay just a year. Now 11 years later I'm still here and a big reason why is because of the universal healthcare system which has helped me many times, as well as the incredible public transportation system. Americans really don't realize how badly they are getting ripped off. If they did, there would be a revolution tomorrow.

[@inorganicproduce]

I absolutely agree with you that our systems are not as good as others 😆. I loved the public transportation system in Prague, CZ, for example, and as a healthcare worker in USA, insurance pretty much tells every single clinician what to do for every single patient - every single time. Insurance is the largest reason why we have backlogs and bottlenecks when helping patients get treatments, it seems to me.

[@Nn.65juk]

​@@inorganicproduceUSA healthcare System is so.... Emnarassing and dissapointing.

[@flarelukethecomedian3251]

@@Nn.65juk it is. They want to squeeze every single cent out of you until you’re broke. They’re like “ok, we’ll help, but give us your entire life savings”.

[@henryofskalitz2228]

You can blame the Jewish insurance company owners

[@scotthearts9634]

@@flarelukethecomedian3251 exactly! Emphasis on "every single cent" damnit 😡😤

[@philipmclaughlin9636]

As a Brit watching this makes me more so glad for the NHS in our country

[@nandhanaprakashsimi3519]

OMG LITERALLY!!! me too, like I never have to think about paying for appointments and all that bullshit

[@Nn.65juk]

​@@nandhanaprakashsimi3519yeah.... US dissapoints me.

[@nintendo1709]

Yeah but the average British citizen pays 13% of their income in taxes. Even if I got rid of my premiums and co-pays, a system like the NHS would bankrupt me because I would actually lose money every month. I want universal healthcare but I don’t want the NHS.

[@scotthearts9634]

@@nandhanaprakashsimi3519 just for them to run a diagnosis or test or even check-ups at least 100 to 500... oh the american dream!

[@rising.raijin]

The NHS is fake

[@getnasty08]

I'm Irish, but once had a skiing accident in France. On this Friday I ended up tearing my ACL, tearing ligaments in thumb and fracturing the joint, and had a slight concussion. They sent a ski ambulance up to get me and stabilize my leg and hand which took about 50 min or so and then took me down. They then brought me to the nearest medical center which was run by two doctors, one who specialized in sports injuries. After waiting approx. 35 minutes, I was given pain medication, an x-ray of both knee and hand, a temp leg cast, crutches and a referral to a nearby hospital for knee surgery the following Tuesday - all with amazing patience and compassion from the doctor (who was so reassuring when I cried a little). I ended up declining the offer of surgery in France as I preferred to go back to London and get it there (simply cos I lived there at the time). My point is - when the doctor gave me the bill he was so anxious and apologetic. Why? Cos the bill cost €121 (approx. $140). He explained that unfortunately, since I wasn't French, that I had to pay €21 for medical services, and a non-refundable €100 fee for ski ambulance. He then gave me a form that allowed me to claim back €20 of the €21 medical fee because I was European lol. He said the €1 was a mandatory processing fee. Yes, that about $1.21. The care I received was fantastic. The doctor was compassionate and I never, not even for one second, had to worry about WHERE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT WOULD COME FROM. I pray every day, now that I live in America and have one of the best health plans in California (I work for a tech giant), that I NEVER EVER GET SICK IN AMERICA. Us Europeans really are socialist evil bastards. The horror!

[@getnasty08]

Oh and when I did get that knee surgery about 3 months later - (only 3 months because my doctor wanted my leg to be strong before he did the ACL repair) - I got it done on the NHS. The surgeon I got in the NHS was a knee specialist who does 50% private / 50% NHS. He was also a specialist on call during London 2012 Olympics. Long story short, when my leg was strong enough I got my surgery under the NHS. The doctor was fantastic. The hospital was fantastic. The scar is almost invisible (and I've seen some hideous ACL scars of those who had surgery in the US) and the cost was - £0. Yes, the day after I got my surgery the pharmacist came with a bag of drugs for me (free) and then the surgeon signed me out. Money was never ever discussed. Zilch. Nada. All that was discussed was my well-being.

[@terryoppong4420]

AM in Ohio, please take me to Europe

[@HelenEk7]

I once had to do knee surgery in Austria after a car accident. Had to stay in the hospital for 4 days after surgery, and was then transported home to Norway. Paid nothing for any of it (including transport to the airport in a wheel chair, and flight home to Norway)

[@trabajosdehvacenusa7771]

All that in usa would cost 40,000 dollars without insurance, with insurance would cost 10,000 dollars, you would have to sell your home in order to pay the bill

[@aluxbalum]

Back in 1997, I had a back injury during training, the ambulance ride alone that was no more than a 5 minutes drive cost nearly 1500 dollars at that time.

[@RobLandauer]

This video did little to explain why health care is expensive.

[@Jamdouglass]

it did. you pay a monthly fee to insurance, which is supposed to be used to pay a doctor for a visit, etc. except what insurance companies are doing is not paying the full amount they owe the doctor for the patient, in turn making the doctor have to charge the patient more to stay in business.

[@anthonylemkendorf3114]

Rob Landauer your correct. It really didn’t address the real cause which are many . This is essentially a political conversation in disguise.

[@lilg563]

@@anthonylemkendorf3114 Not only do the insurance companies stiff the doctors, they take your money that you pay monthly and invest it to make more money.

[@bjornschmidt480]

@nshanahan13 Or when the government doens't game in, and let private companies control a market, which can't per definition be free.

[@bjornschmidt480]

@nshanahan13 free in a sense that market forces a regulating themselves to an optimum. Free like in free market.

[@aurum12hm70]

The problem is when they don't even want to tell you the cost before you go to the doctor. I asked a clinic how much they charged for consultation and it seemed like I asked them an algebra question. I'm young but I rather die than go to any hospital here.

[@python9657]

buy a ticket to a cheap country with good healthcare and it will still cost less overall

[@Rigmor_Talonbeard]

Walk over here to Canada eh?

[@Nn.65juk]

​@@Rigmor_Talonbeardyes daddy.

[@Nn.65juk]

It is just so bad. You don't deserve to die.

[@Nn.65juk]

UN.... Lies.

[@dianagoroh6553]

I would like to meet the doctor who spends an hour with one patient. maximum 10 minutes

[@CheapSushi]

minimum is usually 15 minutes

[@asafox6550]

The maximum is so low because the administration pushes high numbers. I have family members that are required to see 60 patients a day or their salary gets halved- this policy appeared out of nowhere to them.

[@jasonmoran5152]

its a first visit, they spend more time on that visit. Probably not an hour but it tooks like he was getting a physical also...

[@cmercado7209]

@jason moran correct, and what all of you are not realizing is that behind the scenes your doctor is spending an additional 20-25 minutes filling out paperwork related to your visit. So actually yes doctors spend time on each patient, you only see one side of that time though.

[@jasonmoran5152]

@@cmercado7209 What paperwork? My doctor does everything while I'm there. Billing is automated and done before I see him. Any other paperwork is done by staff.

[@lsan6833]

He literally talked to nobody about why the cost is so high

[@Erik_Nordlund]

lsan6833 I guess we could infer that when the doctors say they get a fraction of what people are paying their insurance companies, removing the profit motive from insurance would make care less expensive to patients and/or the economy as a whole.

[@digitalsoju]

I bet the budget on this video was higher than most other videos simply due to the ridiculous cost of healthcare in the US 😂😂

[@Saffrone221]

Property cost, labor cost, maintenance cost, tax, insurance and liability cost, motor transportation cost, lawyer and advertisement cost, compensation and OT employee wage, high-tech surgical equipment cost, investors return, Food and medicine cost, And finally equipment cost. By the end of the month they are paying $$$,$$$ just to keep the aircon running. I expect em to charge $300-$8000 not. $20,000 in one bill.

[@ShaudaySmith]

@@Erik_Nordlund that is a very interesting perspective. It makes a lot of sense since the insurance provider really NEVER has the customer or doctor's interest in mind for their business model. I would also suggest that there is a battle between hospitals/healthcare providers and insurance companies. These physicians in the video note that they would get paid a percentage of the cost of maintaining their practice from insurances. I've read articles about how hospitals will hike up prices deliberately to account for this discrepancy. This tug-of-war battle between insurances and healthcare providers is another aspect where consumers would ultimately be the one to pay the price. It also falls under "removing the profit motive".

[@yugiohpokemon5285]

I didn't need to watch this to see why Obamacare sucks

[@ronancampbell9203]

I think a big problem is the fact that you have to go do a basic degree before going to medical school in the US. Where I live in Ireland you can just do a medical degree and be out of college in 5 years. It's fairly similar in most of Europe I think. Spending nearly a decade in college in the US may leave their doctors a little bit more experienced but also cripples them in debt which they have to pay off. This cost is passed down to patients.

[@kheprineteru4990]

😮interesting

[@Nn.65juk]

​@@kheprineteru4990yes. In latin america, africa, europe, asia and oceania you can get into medical school after you get out of school. USA and canada. Ask for degrees.

[@843zachify]

Same thing with Brazil

[@nintendo1709]

But I think a thing that was mentioned in this video is that the insurance company is pocketing the money. So, if a visit would cost $300 without insurance and costs $20 with insurance, your doctor might only get $15-$30 per visit. The insurance company then profits $250. This is another reason why patients with no insurance often have to pay so much to make up for how much insurance companies are ripping them off.

[@Freiheit1232]

Congress has no business deciding on our healthcare when it doesn't affect them. Any healthcare they pass, they should have! Not their own separate specialized healthcare. It's ridiculous.

[@bclarke05]

Exactly right, they have the best coverage and leave us to fend for ourselves

[@SandfordSmythe]

​@@bclarke05Congress has Obamacare

[@adamcarr4418]

I've never had a doctor spend an hour with me on anything. 10 minutes at most! That first doctor is full of shit an hour for a Physical. Of course he is the only one against Universal Healthcare. Smh.

[@CheapSushi]

Actually he's not wrong. For new patients, they are slotted in for 45 minutes. Recurring patients get 15 minutes on average

[@beginninglastleg4444]

Like you needed confirmation you weren’t fucked in the head

[@ethereumcxcx8261]

I had an allergic reaction while in Panama and was taken to a public hospital. Since I was uninsured, I had to pay $8 out of pocket. Lol

[@jRex918]

Insured people in america have to pay more than what you paid for, uninsured in panama

[@frankg8861]

Took my kid into the ER after using an EpiPen due to an allergic reaction. They brought us in, although we didn't even get a room, but they just had us sit in the hallway. Doctor came by and checked on us maybe twice for about 1 minute each out of the 4 hours we waited. After 4 hours they decided to let it's go home. Couple weeks later I get a bill for $1400... Wtf, if I had known, I would've just sat and waited in the parking lot instead of going in.

[@cheese..wizard]

Same situation. I was hit by a drunk driver, I told the paramedics I couldn't afford the 3 mile ambulance ride. 6 hours in some hallway at the ER for a 2 minute talk with a doc? 1,200. I'll die before I take an ambulance.

[@Nn.65juk]

​@@cheese..wizard WHAAAAAAATT????? That is so expensive for what happened to you.

[@scotthearts9634]

TF 💀💀💀☠ did you pay for it tho' ?

[@briguy677]

As a Canadian who has lived in the US for two and a half years now, I can honestly say this country needs universal healthcare. I worked with a woman who refused to go to the doctor despite having open sores on her legs, due in part to diabetes because she couldn't afford it. She chose to risk infection in her legs that could eventually lead to amputation because she couldn't afford to see a doctor for basic treatment. Currently, I work with a guy who doesn't want to pay for someone else's health care even though it will cut the cost of his own health care in half because he has bought into the Republican lies about Socialism. To me this whole thing is insane. Universal healthcare should be a basic right in a civilized country. Not only is it the right thing to do, it is the most cost effective thing to do.

[@marceloribas4616]

I have a suggestion for you Canadian bolchevik, move to Cuba, there you have free health care.

[@FurEngel]

The government has always believed the problem with Healthcare is lack of insurance, but insurance is the problem. As in a free market, having the major of customers not paying from their own pocket is what causes the greed to begin with. If everyone in the country had orange insurance, apples and grapes would be cheap, while oranges would be very expensive.

[@henrykim3281]

I'm a physician at a private practice office. I and the office spent enormous time on administration because of a broken insurance system. It's like having to deal with middlemen who are not serving the interests of either the patients or the providers. Their primary goal is to maximize profits for the shareholders. This is why you spend so much on your insurance, deductibles and copays. We need a single payer system whose primary purpose is to serve public health.

[@markfairman162]

Amazes me that the US can spend billions and billions on its military and cannot provide basic healthcare to its citizens , which is pretty standard in other 1st world countries. I lived in Spain for 6 years went to the doctor regularly any time i needed to , had a couple hospital vists medication never had to pay for any of it.

[@Pit_1209]

@@jacklan4103 Like it should be because at the end of the day you are also paying taxes and depending the state it could be a lot but then you will have to go to the hospital sooner or later and will have a massive bill that has left many people in bankruptcy, they didn't see any benefits paying taxes in that way or with the billions spent on the military.

[@Pit_1209]

@@jacklan4103 Ok so you're telling me that before 1965 (the year Social Security Amendments were established) US healthcare costs were lower than an Europe that was trying to recover from the worst and biggest war known to mankind and many countries were practically ashes just 15 years before and you are also saying that for an inexplicable reason Medicaid and Medicare (already partially funded by payroll taxes and government revenue) it's the cause of the high healthcare prices in the US.... Excellent conclusions.

[@Pit_1209]

@@jacklan4103 Do you? Professor. Has your PhD in economics education a valid reason on how Universal Healthcare doesn't work but military spending and international "allies protection" does?

[@Pit_1209]

@@jacklan4103 Man, look it doesn't matter. I personally don't understand the reasons why many people in the US supports legislation that are against the public interest like the recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and many others while not even trying to understand the meaning of others legislation that potentially works in their favor, politics polarization at its finest but whatever the case no one has the right answer it seems.

[@markfairman162]

@John K how so? Is it not funded by the American tax payer?

[@ruiningwang1644]

Soon, going to the doctor will be so exotic in US they are going to make reality TV out of it.

[@RedPlaystationController]

Watch TLC

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

And the dumb plebs will love it, as much as they love watching rich people give a tour of their mansions.

[@unlimitedpower4101]

If the government keeps fucking up healthcare more, yes.

[@jlo6388]

Holy shit. This happened. Lol

[@r6685]

It's expensive because they are doing what the Colombian Cartels did with the cocaine in the 70 and 80's. Jack up the prices on their product and then they tax you when you can't get it. Talk about the biggest hustle of all time.

[@dr.christopherdiaz4473]

I didn't before...but now I do.

[@dr.christopherdiaz4473]

may the force be with you.

[@ashleyashleym2969]

No, it's expensive because the instruments aren't cheap and their knowledge isn't cheap...

[@r6685]

Ashley ASHLEYM lol

[@AleksandrKramarenko]

@Ashley ASHLEYM But why is the same instrument/knowledge cheap in other countries?

[@houchi69]

Greed. I don't even need this video to tell me why.

[@24killsequalMOAB]

Not enough greed.

[@YoGaming11]

I broke my hand a few months back and the total bill for everything was over 1,000 dollars. I am a college student with barely any money to survive and I had to get a second job recently to pay for this crap. We need universal health care in America. Every time I get sick I don't bother going to the doctor it costs WAY too much.

[@slyrooster1241]

350 for an eye exam??? Dude I pay 65 and I don't have insurance! where TF are you going?

[@ChrisUAnimation]

only 60 bucks at my local Costco. And with Zenni online, a new pair can cost less than a hundred bucks. Anyone who spends 350 is getting ripped off big time.

[@jijiji661]

You're probably doing a copay

[@werebilbyj4449]

I pay $0 because I live in Australia and we bulk bill eye exams.

[@slofool]

Does your eye doc have an MD in front of him. If so its going to be more then 65 a visit. And yes their is a difference between the two.

[@Jaesonlee1]

I pay 15usd in korea without insurance.

[@mistermood4164]

Can that doctor explain why vice's comment section is so cancerous?

[@slyrooster1241]

Mister Mood Vice used to be very non-biased, now it's liberal AF and annoying.

[@iamnemoo]

You know that nasty stank juice at the bottom of the trash can? That's just simply what youtube comments are unfortunately.

[@WadeEdaw]

Ozelot it wasn't like this before the election. I hate that I can't go anywhere online without seeing a butthurt right winger

[@vivigesso3756]

because libtards think they know everything.

[@OcelotGCH]

Russian paid internet trolls infested the channels during the filming of VICE News Russian Roulette around 2015. Look at those videos, the comments, the likes. It's appalling how the internet is being controlled by opinions that aren't even real.

[@mattwilson7443]

There was almost zero information in this video. Great journalism vice

[@kierah6087]

Right they didnt even break down the billing aspect of it. SMH

[@vondunspeakable]

All of the medical personel in this piece pointed out the insurance companies are the primary cause of the issue with health care in the United States,in particular, with their control of the payout to the doctors. Which is why Obamacare and the present policies are not popular. It was rather easy to understand.

[@mattwilson7443]

@@vondunspeakable I didn't say it was hard to understand I said it wasn't informative. The majority of the video time is consumed by this "journalist" complaining about his phobia of health care

[@garorgarth]

Totally agree

[@turdferguson3091]

yeah no shit.. it looked like the first 6 minutes of a really good piece then it just drops off the fucking planet.

[@bonnieoliver1941]

No doctor has EVER spent over 15 minutes with me

[@Gunnersman1510]

Because insurance poor reimbursements pushes providers to see more patients to keep their business running. Thats why medicine is less personable than 20 yrs ago where your PCP knew about family and had more time to conduct more tests. Now its a push to see as many patients as possible.

[@troy5007]

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[@Pixel5564]

The doctors have a lot of paperwork to do for one patient. You clearly couldn’t comprehend what he said. He never claimed that he spends one hour face to face with a patient

[@Hazzelnot94]

Earlier this week I was complaining about having to pay 150SEK (~$15) for a checkup and some pills. Not anymore hearing what Yanks pay for their medical services.

[@TheCullousus]

We do get bent over a barrel and fucked.

[@Agtsmirnoff]

Hasselnot and how much do you pay in taxes?

[@mistermood4164]

+Charles Yamamoto there always that one guy in the comment section.

[@404namemissing6]

Agtsmirnoff Not much more than in the US.

[@Hazzelnot94]

Agtsmirnoff about 30-34% depending on what municipality you live in. Then added state tax when you earn more than a set amount.

[@skyworks1621]

That system is crazy, i pay insurance around 50 $, I broke my leg 10 days ago,ambulance picked me up drove me to hospital, I had a operation,stayed for 5 days in hospital,in 4 weeks I go for a scan and after that for on a 2 week rehab to medical center (pools,massage,treining) and it is all payed by insurance and they dont ask for about nothing, it is a standard tretment. The goals is to get better not deal with insurance. Welcome to Europe, where parient matters not money.

[@GoodKarma11]

sky works Even if you had insurance you would've owed thousands of dollars had that happened to you in the US smh.

[@skyworks1621]

Lord Lew thanks, Iam currenty in a wellness centre in Slovenia in a 5 star hotel where I have massages, pool with trainer,fitness all covered by insurance. All I have to pay is for beeing alone in a room and that is 15 $ a day.

[@creativeusername6453]

Ha, in America the ambulance ride alone would cost you $300.

[@gpecaut1]

@@creativeusername6453 it costs even more in Europe, but you pay for it, use it or not, in taxes.

[@gpecaut1]

@Robert Lewter supply and demand. If the AMA would get out of the way, we could have more medical colleges, more doctors, the schooling would cost less, and doctors would make less, thus medical costs would be less.

[@cipher88101]

In my experience, doctors don't keep appointment times, they are always hours late, after your appointment time and then playing catch up after spending less than 15 minutes with you so they can set up a follow up for you to repeat the process. So accounting for this he is seeing at least 4 times the patients he claims he is while probably claiming the costs of running the office for the whole day.

[@trgoohileshea2820]

I have 'insurance' yet I haven't seen a doctor in almost 20 years because I can't afford to be hit with thousands in medical bills for a five minute appointment. This is truly scary!

[@jamesbedugraham8056]

America needs to Have universal Health Insurance for all her Citizens all across the USA. It is a great nation but she will need Socialism in some ways. The insurance Companies in America have been too greedy in so many ways.

[@enriqueperezarce5485]

@@jamesbedugraham8056 That’s literally impossible, how do you have universal healthcare with over 300 million people. You tend to forget that America is way bigger then countries that have universal healthcare

[@tatianamarkelova754]

@@enriqueperezarce5485 why not?! The country is bigger thus the budget is proportionality bigger either. The flip side of a coin is... business and again business.

[@neerajvshah]

@@enriqueperezarce5485 Any economist will tell you that as you add more people, cost per capita lowers as a result of scale. Even if scale was an issue you could move this to the state level management with earmarked federal funding. The number of people are not what's holding back single-payer healthcare, it's that both large parties both funded by medical insurance companies and their super PACs and have no incentive to change the system. Voters are too busy focusing on nonsense culture war issues to bother voting for something that matters, like socialized healthcare.

[@enriqueperezarce5485]

@@neerajvshah No your right state level mandated healthcare should be a thing. Federal would be way to difficult for bureaucracy and other stuff. It hard to manage 300 million people. Chinese healthcare suffers from this (with other factors). Federal would be way to bloated and big to work properly, it could and can work but it would be super difficult to pull off in a nation of this size.

[@AnakinIV]

I swear, that first doctor looks like Gus from breaking bad

[@age_of_reason]

Wth are you talking about? I don't know what breaking bad is and I am glad. Read a book.

[@Razbertea]

@@age_of_reason Baby boomer...

[@emaadkhan3031]

Sammeeee. Dude I was like, this guy is Giancarlo Esposito

[@Bunjamin27]

"Cuz we wanna make a shit load of money!" .. there, I just saved you some time :)

[@kool-aidman6955]

Imagine getting charged over 4,000 dollars just to be told that you're fine. That's what happened to me. I swear to god I hate this country more by the day... Edit: I thought I was having internal bleeding, but turns out it was a false alarm. Either way, all they did was draw my blood and take a chest x-ray. That's it.

[@lechinajames5471]

I would even have paid it.

[@existentialist1539]

For that cost you can fly to india, get yourselves checked at the best private hospitals, and you’ll still have money left with you.

[@aibansharailyngdoh8608]

@@existentialist1539, true

[@aibansharailyngdoh8608]

@@lechinajames5471, then paid for everyone

[@MrMartellSincere]

America is a country of scams and deception

[@wetsocks4460]

There is no excuse for putting a price tag on someone’s life, Britain, Australia and Canada have universal healthcare and they’re doing well.

[@souldy09]

Cut down on advertising and marketing from big pharma. Their marketing budgets are 1.5-2 times the size of their R&D budgets usually. The prices of many essential medications (as laid out by the WHO) are way overpriced in this country. The medications that may not cost a lot for a one time purchase (inhalers, anti-hypertensives, etc.) can actually rack up the bill due to the nature of the chronic conditions associated with them. Insulin for diabetes can cost $200-500 w/o insurance. It's crazy how overpriced drugs are and how undercovered they are as well. As for hospital visits, "defensive medicine" is racking up the bill for patients. Healthcare providers order so many unnecessary tests to mainly avoid the possibility of missing something and incurring litigation against them. With "best practices" methods and guidelines, providers won't have to worry about missing a step in care and getting a malpractice claim filed against them. Lastly, damn all the hospital admin work. It's a necessary evil however. People need jobs in administration, hospitals need admins to run the hospitals, and healthcare providers need people to navigate the ever-growing complexity that is our healthcare system. We're at a loss in this nation and rehauling a bill to fit the needs of just a few people is NOT going to fix these issues that contribute to the larger holes in our healthcare system.

[@jonjo2598]

huh? so you think that providing fewer services to people is better???? You sound mental. Rationing should never be the preference, although most medical conditions are caused by common things, when you encounter a truly rare condition, the unnecessary test might save the patient.

[@ZacharyShade]

+Jon Jo, OP's statement was a bit all over the place but I don't think that's what they meant. I think the main point was just pointing out that the AHCA won't fix any of those problems mentioned, but the GOP is so hellbent on repealing the ACA they're tweaking to bill to fit the needs of a few senators rather than dealing with any of the actual issues in our flawed healthcare system.

[@souldy09]

What's mental is trying to order an unnecessary amount of tests for people who don't have "truly rare" conditions. Any skilled healthcare provider can usually make a differential diagnosis by gauging a patient's symptoms and doing a thorough examination. That's what they spent 10+ years training to do. The tests are done for clarification or confirmation. You don't need a x-ray, EKG, PET scan, CT scan, AND an MRI to figure out the issue. Think about what you said to me. "When you encounter a truly rare condition" implies that most people generally won't have this condition. Thorough testing is only needed for these certain cases. And these certain cases don't reflect upon the larger blight that affects the common person's healthcare expenditure.

[@souldy09]

Exactly. I'm glad you could pick out my message through my word vomit comment haha.

[@mymak-jq1hy]

In this country the pharmaceutical companies can charge whatever they want because there's no central healthcare system to bargain against them. They hold all the power.

[@PeeedaPan]

Doctors, nurses, OTs, PTs, etc, should be paid more. All these administrative parasites and pharma should get a pay cut

[@jeffbriggs1987]

Doctors are already paid a tonne.

[@ThePyroRussian]

All administrative aspects of healthcare stand to be completely automated by AI. it vastly benefit everyone involved too.

[@KK-fw4zq]

my dad is a retired Doctor, and even though doctors get paid a lot. *It is definitely not worth of the amount of work they put in.* 4 years of undegrad, 4 years of medical school, tons of extracurricular (about 10,000+ hours), 3-8 years of residency (where they get paid less than the minimum and work 2 times harder than doctors). And after all that, then get paid $120k after tax, insurance and fees at age 35. Plus a big debt. *Doctor isn't a job, its their life.* So no, most doctors do not get paid enough.

[@LifeStyle-uh1ns]

Doctors get paid a lot. Starting salary for an anesthesiologist is $400K Pharmacist $200+K. I see the problem with Health care in administration costs and doctors salaries.

[@KK-fw4zq]

unknown 123012 just read my mind. *plus, doctors literally invested their whole early 20's and 30's in becoming a doctor. And I wouldn't even consider a surgeon a JOB, its a Life that they committed to-- as they literally live in hospitals.* The real problem is Insurance companies, and Hospital business men, like the CEOs, controlling doctors and patients as customers.

[@elliemay1748]

For anyone wondering, here is where the costs really go insane. A doctor can’t get insurance companies to cover their costs of a regular patient appointment, but a hospital will charge $50k for a surgery that took 30 minutes. It’s not the private practices, it’s the hospitals, hospital networks, surgery centers, etc. and the drug companies, who are profiting, and bleeding the health care system dry of any funding that could of been available for a private practice to get a tiny bit of profit to keep the lights on.

[@eddiemalvin]

"Insurance companies are the problem!", the doctor screamed as he pounded his fists on the dashboard of his Maserati.

[@starventure]

Eddie M Michael Moore alluded to that in his Sicko documentary.

[@Skzzlemister]

The for profit system is the reason it's so expensive. DUH!!! It's FOR PROFIT. That's why we pay the most. Universal health care is long overdue in America. Good lord.

[@huhwah5387]

Sound argument! Veeery deep analysis! You should put that in a economics journal that just says "PROFIT EVIL". You'd make millions!

[@coopsnz1]

That s government regulations on the business owner , why its expensive

[@coopsnz1]

Government takes more from small and medium business owners

[@monkeygoesbananas]

@@coopsnz1 The reason why clinics and hospitals have to invest so much in administration is because insurance companies don't do business in good faith. They need full time staff who exist solely to fill out claim forms and send them over and over again to insurance companies who lie about never receiving them. Full time staff who have to spend hours on the phone trying to negotiate with insurance companies to get them to pay for things they are often legally or contractually obligated to pay for. And then even more full-time staff dedicated to fighting claim payment recoupments and all he other crooked ways insurance companies try to nickle and dime providers (even the ones they have contracts with!). Ultimately, the reason the healthcare system is so expensive in the u.s is because the pharmaceutical and insurance industries set the prices. If you have the legal ability to own a monopoly over a particular medication and then charge $375k dollars for a months worth, you are operating in a broken system. If you have the ability to charge $1k+ a month for a PPO plan that has a $6k deductible and ultimately covers basically nothing, you are providing a useless product. But these two examples are not aberrations in the U.S. They are the industry standard.

[@coopsnz1]

You pay no taxes on cars in usa , why you don't have free health and university

[@quorthonsinferno5119]

Canada, france, UK all free but in US you have to pay half a million for cancer treatment because you're on a list of "pre-denied" conditions

[@paultremblay4836]

_InsertNameHere_ Sorry Canada is not so free anymore because of Steven Harper's pro corporation and pro American conservative. Anywhere you get conservatives, you got cuts on health care and also cuts on taxes for the rich

[@martinesalomon5334]

Paul Tremblay: Canada pay their healthcare through their taxes. And, we don't pay like Americans do.

[@vengefulspirit99]

Martine Salomon you know the US pays more per capita on health care than Canada right?

[@JAMESRS58]

@ Paul Tremblay .. I have no idea what Canada you are living in .. Stephen Harper's Conservatives were defeated November 4, 2015 (Your comment was 11 months ago) .. No Prime Minister or Provincial Premier would ever touch the Canadian Health Care system .. I pay my Healthcare as a small amount in my Income tax .. My family has never received a bill from our Doctor or a Hospital ..

[@martinesalomon5334]

@@vengefulspirit99 : yes and people in the US don't live longer. Their life expectancy is not better because they pay more per capita

[@elliemay1748]

I had a minor, non invasive "surgery" to break up some kidney stones on one side. My doctor recommended it even though it was not necessary, and said it would be $500 because of my insurance. The surgery took less than 30 minutes, I was in recovery for about an hour from the anesthesia and I went home, without any medications. 3 months later, I got a bill for $48,000. My insurance decided not to cover it.

[@Tharrel]

"Hey boss, I have an idea for a video, let me talk to some doctors, while I get checked up in every possible way and you pay for it!" - Genius, man, I appreciate you.

[@Milesco]

And yet he still didn't answer the fundamental question that he asked in the first place.

[@hba8103]

The problem seems simple to me. The problem is for-profit health insurance companies. What value do they actually provide?! They don't even yield efficient pricing in the market place (in the same town, let alone city, state or country). Eliminate a middle man that is only there to make a profit. Some will argue that the government can't handle single payer, but yet we continue to spend more and more on defense. More than the next 7 countries combined. So, you trust the government to manage a huge amount of money efficiently with defense, but not with healthcare?! That's hypocritical, especially when Americans aren't the healthiest in the world and are the only ones in the western world without a single payer health system. If you want to drain the swamp, start with for-profit health insurance companies.

[@GoodKarma11]

hba8103 Exactly!

[@sumitshresth]

simply the right are members of cult who will blindly follow gun n oppose anything tagged communist.

[@JAMESRS58]

@ hba8103 .. Universal Healthcare takes the profit out of Health Care ..

[@SuWoopSparrow]

Why do you need a profit for your health care system?

[@AB-ou8ve]

hba8103 They produce nothing, that’s their magic. Their real purpose is to satisfy the hard on the free market fanatics have for unmitigated greed.

[@JohnComeOnMan]

That monotone, halting way of speaking is brutal.

[@FlaxeMusic]

He reminds me of Lucas Goodwin from House of Cards.

[@darthvader5300]

What the hell is wrong with your politicians? Are they also sick as hell?

[@guyfromnewark]

darthvader5300 They are greedy disgusting people.

[@jasonmartinez9051]

Bueller... Bueller...

[@mohsind4u]

close your eyes and start the video from 0:00. The voice resembles turtlehead Mitch.

[@DavesGuitarPlanet]

I lived in Thailand 15 years. Health care in US seems like 2nd world in comparison. I walk into a hospital in Thailand: "Do you have a doctor here who will listen to my problem, check me over in exchange for a reasonable amount of money?" "Yep, come on in." A simple business transaction. Why can't the US be like that?

[@leezhieng]

In Malaysia, it costs around USD0.4 to see doctor at public clinic/hospital and around USD3 at private clinic. If you include the medicine and what not it will be around USD2 at public clinic (heavily subsidized by government) and USD15 at private clinic.

[@Jone952]

Insurance companies have capped administration costs because of ACA and are actually one of the least profitable industries. The real cost comes from expensive hospitals and Pharmaceuticals, which is one of the most profitable industries.

[@CSCF2008]

Congress is filled with 100% millionaires. Never in our history have we had such income inequality and all Congress does is defund the PPACA and give $$$$ to Insurance Co. Healthcare is very important. As a small business owner and TAX PAYER the PPACA is portable and will save businesses a lot. Stop defunding the PPACA. WE DESERVE THE SAME HEALTHCARE THAT CONGRESS HAS. INSURANCE CO ARE CORRUPT AND GREEDY and lobby Congress regularly. The problem with our healthcare is OUR CORRUPT CONGRESS AND GREEDY INSURANCE COMPANIES. FIX THE PPACA SO MORE PEOPLE CAN AFFORD IT AND DOCTORS ARE PAID BETTER. ALSO CAP INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND STOP CUTTING THE SAFETY NETS WE ALL PAY FOR. OR WE NEED TO GET ALL NEW PEOPLE IN CONGRESS TO DO THEIR JOBS FOR US AND NOT THE KOCH BROTHERS. Big Pharma needs to get out of our way! Our lives are far more valuable than your greed!

[@Agtsmirnoff]

Stephanie Simko "100% millionaires" Factually untrue

[@Swaygooy]

Stephanie Simko Jesus Christ do some research before you spew disinformation

[@justinpipes85]

Kyle the average net worth of Congress is over a million dollars per person... But thats an average of all of them together. some are worth hundreds of millions most aren't. But in just ten years of retirement they will have earned over a million dollars plus tax payer provided healthcare.

[@Swaygooy]

Justin Pipes That's not at all what they stated above.

[@mymak-jq1hy]

Bernie sanders isn't a millionaire.

[@xYouthAttackx]

It's expensive because the healthcare industry and the government allows it to be.

[@PreciousBoxer]

It isn't an option, it's a mandate.

[@allahshafeemedicaltourismi886]

Yeah you are right... unlike india I'm india medical is very affordable even a quality treatment costs you one fifth and some times one tenth of usa treatment cost

[@racerx6384]

A few problems that aren't addressed. First there is no transparency. Imagine a business where you purchase something not knowing the price beforehand. If you ask a hospital how much a procedure will cost they will not tell you. Here is an example. You can go for a hip surgery hospital A is rated 9/10 in care hospital B is 10/10. Problem is hospital A is 38k for the surgery while hospital B is 69k. Without transparent pricing there is no competition and a lack of competition has caused increased price gouging. This is important since now many people's medical plans require them to pay the first 10%. Another problem is how insurances work in general. Let's say the true cost for a hospitals MRI is 1000 dollars. Insurance says listen we only pay $500.00 for that. Now someone comes in without insurance what do they pay. Well they aren't going to pay the insurance negotiated rate of $500. But they aren't going to pay the true cost of $1000.00 either. They will pay 1,500.00 cause the hospital is trying to recoup the $500.00 loss that they had with the insurances rate. Why do we have these problems. Is it corporate greed from hospitals and insurance companies? Greedy doctors charging to high for there rates? Nope this is what happens when we let big government get in bed with big business. It's no secret that they let the health industry help right the affordable Care act. And in doing so they included provisions that not only increased costs but drove smaller insurance companies which were competition out of the industry. Big business and big government love each other. They do favors for each other all the time. They often advocate for more regulation which would make it impossible for a new smaller company to come into the market and compete with them. That's because competition drives down costs and improves quality and rewards efficiency. God forbid we try that.

[@jgnmtz]

I love the explanation by the doctors about the greedy insurance companies. I'm currently fighting health net to keep my coverage. Each year they try to cancel me without notice.

[@jessechingon1204]

I went to the hospital for dehydration. I never saw a doctor they gave me an I.V and i was out the door. I got the bill 2 weeks later 3000$ dollars. I called the hospital i told them i dont have health insurance or anything ofbthe sort. They sakd oh, its 50$ dollars. For those of you that think "i rather pay 50$ instead of 3k" think about this the stuff inside an I.V is pretty much just salt and water. Gatorade. It cost the hospital 1$ to purchase. Thats a hell of price gauge and price gauging in this country is illegal.

[@taz24787]

Well $50 for having a nurse checking you aren't severely dehydrated, placing an IV correctly, covering the IV system, administrative and installation ... is not gonna cost you the same as a Gaytorade. If you think you'll be alright with a gaytorade at the gas-station, go for it. $50 for urgent medical professional attention (even when not from a Physician) without insurance is not a bad deal. And I'm a physician. $3k is obviously a total crime.

[@VloggingWhatDo]

people forget that training and schooling is needed to learn how to start an iv and not a bleedout

[@lisawood365]

Jesse Chingon I was charged $500 for 1 standard tdap vaccine Dr said hi for 2 seconds I was in/out in 20min

[@CheapSushi]

@@lisawood365 the Dr didn't decide on the price of the vaccine though

[@lisawood365]

CheapSushi no But the walk in clinic did gauge me tho. Their expenses vs what they charged me is ridiculous

[@nancymesek]

Meanwhile, in Europe, we ask, ‘there’s paperwork?’

[@clup3136]

There's a lot. And it's increasing every day, at least in the Beveridge system (like in spain)

[@HelenEk7]

I once had to do knee surgery in Austria after a car accident. Had to stay in the hospital for 4 days after surgery, and was then transported home to Norway. Paid nothing for any of it, including transport to the airport in a wheel chair, and flight back to Norway. (And no, I had no travel insurance)

[@lionardo]

America is in absolute decline. I don't even understand why people what to start a new life there... better go to Switzerland or Denmark.

[@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207]

Lio Mendonça Better education, better business environment, some less taxes, expensive but better healthcare, and free speech. Denmark is one of the highest taxed nation. Cost of living in Switzerland is high. People in Scandanavian countries are homogenous and foreigners feel singled out.

[@GhostlyJorg]

"Denmark is one of the highest taxed nation": Not true. It's in the middle of the OECD pack. it's just that Denmark taxes even welfare benefits, so the tax numbers are inflated

[@Nara_Lamar]

do a bit more research, just a bit more, Mr.Communist Killer.... cots alot living in those countries, but the fact that they make 3-4 more then a avrage american, is somthing to to forget. also keep in mind they are happy all of them, unlike most people in US. and please stop thinking socialism is communism, cuz it ain't

[@SmokingNoir]

Stay away from Denmark you fucking weirdos

[@obedmazitama2748]

Qaqqq

[@nebojsa1976]

2 months ago I went to Romania to have spine surgery. Total cost: $250. In USA it would be $ 50 000. Hmm, something is not right. Not sure what it is. Can someone explain what is wrong here ?

[@asianchappy.3328]

The healthcare isn't existent

[@shrek19yearsago78]

I hate the usa cant wait to leave

[@asianchappy.3328]

I once got into a serious accident where one of my legs flesh was completely shredded in South Korea, the ambulance rushed me to the nearest hospital, they fixed me up and made me pay 300$ (This included gourmet food, treatment, surgeries, state of the art therapy for the 3 months I was in the hospital.) I broke my arm in America, and they made me pay an 50$ "Ambulance Fee"

[@phootphetishphilip5551]

Yeah in America unless you're dying don't go in

[@queen-yz5ux]

Regardless of anyone’s opinion, we shouldn’t be afraid to seek out medical help because we’re afraid of the cost. I have so many issues I wish so badly that I could get help for. But even with my dad’s insurance, I can’t afford it.

[@isunlloaoll]

Just give us *universal healthcare* already! Join the first world America! Stop giving us shit care and charge a shit ton more.

[@vivigesso3756]

how about you get a job and pay for it yourself. your just a tax burden on the rest of us.

[@thecopercoper5533]

pp rr So because someone wants universal healthcare means they;'e unemployed? God, I wonder where you idiots come from!

[@jamespaolorili5454]

pp rr I think you're the one unemployed because you worry about tax burdens.

[@roderickclerk5904]

America invented the "first world" dumbass. We are the first world.

[@kurtbrandso2087]

The idea that that those who want universal healthcare are freeloaders was actually spin created by advertising teams paid for by lobbying firms in the 70s and 80s haha. I am Australian and even we can see that. People who believe that notion on the same note will accept corporate freeloaders very easily. The paid campaigners attach religion, constitution, freedom, patriotism, and many other things people hold dear to their hearts, then correlate those beliefs to match what their selling>

[@yeahiyajaman5056]

is America the only developed country without universal healthcare?

[@cryo_life]

Yes probably

[@Sesj02]

And affordable higher education, decent paternity/maternal leave, decent paid vacation, etc. I could really go on about the things that we don’t have but other countries do. It sucks that greed is a motive for everything here.

[@redvirknight9430]

@@Sesj02 Well compare the United States universities versus anywhere else in the world. The average American diploma is worth more than any other country's average diploma.

[@mamta5335]

Even many Developing countries like China,India,South Africa,Indonesia have free and universal healthcare

[@kylepongos4532]

@@mamta5335 They're not good though. Have you see the state of their hospitals. Terrible

[@johnbruenn8755]

I’m a conservative but I am ALL FOR single payer health care. Insurance companies and politicians are out of control. It’s ridiculous Americans get FLEECED every time we need health care. It’s no surprise medical tourism is on the rise. It’s way time for serious change.

[@janellevans878]

I really enjoyed the way this subject was treated. It was interesting to see how the Dr visits went. I agree that the doctors want to do their passion. Not ppwrk.

[@quagmire444]

The repeating theme I keep hearing is the insurance companies. Not only do they drive up costs because they take so little of a persons share in payment, but they also increase administrative costs significantly. They seem to be the main reason for healthcare costs being so high, although not the only one. A single payer system of a kind or any kind of system that would guarantee the destruction of the health care insurance industry racket would save us so much fucking money on healthcare.

[@patrickevans801]

then why is it you pay the highest prices for medical care when you tell them you are paying cash out of pocket?

[@lzepplin01]

Physician here, I support universal health care

[@RACKITBALL]

lzepplin01 thank you for your honest and humanity and acknowledging the greed

[@StuninRub]

sure you do, what provider doesn't want to sit on a pile of capitation money?

[@lzepplin01]

Zhida Zhou those that don't envision single payer as a capitation based system.

[@beachbum4166]

Physician here, universal health care is garbage. I perform surgery on the waitlisted Canadians and Europeans that can't be seen by a specialist for months to years.

[@jordancotter5885]

We have contradictory positions from physicians here...but why would any physician want to become an employee of the government and be at the mercy of the whims of congress? Sounds scary to me. I'd rather just work for myself in a free market.

[@theotherrehtoeht]

I work as a compliance specialist in a government funded health plan. It is a horrible job. Every year the requirements become more ridiculous and tedious. You want to talk “administrative” nightmare...that’s government healthcare. The clinic care is almost entirely ran by administrators. And if you talk to them, like I do, you’ll hear a theme of quite a few of them not liking clinical work...so now they tell all the clinicians what to do. And, for every single specialty, guess which jobs pay the most-the administrative jobs. The single payout system makes me cringe with the thought of who will be managing healthcare. If you ask me...skip paying the insurance directly and switch to an HSA. The people shouldn’t give their money to the insurance (with exception of a small premium) and they shouldn’t give it to the administrative government. People should keep their own money and make their own decisions.

[@richardpowell6120]

The first doctor said it takes $300 an hour to keep him open, and he only gets $100 an hour from the insurance. What he fails to mention is the number of patients that come through there in an hour. Have you ever been in a doctor's office where they spent a whole hour on one patient? Or you usually in a practice with 6-12 patients being shuttled through, seeing nurse, tech, and then the doctor for maybe 5 minutes...?

[@GalileoFigar0]

If it’s costing you $300+ /hour to run your rooms, you need to restructure your business.

[@Pixel5564]

Yes you seem qualified in telling others on how to run their businesses. Fucking soy boys

[@johncahill3018]

American Health Care is very, very poorly run and arbitrarily expensive. One minor example from last December. I had a series of nosebleeds (living in Arizona, right?). I called the ENT to get my nose cauterized. He said I needed to go the Emergency Room first and if they referred me to him ( a "specialist!") then he would accept my appointment. I went to the ER who explained that they didn't have any of the appropriate equipment to treat my (simple) nosebleed and referred me to the ENT. Nonetheless I was billed $3000 for the ER visit (no exaggeration!)...of which I had to pay $1000 and the insurance paid $2000. The ENT guy charged me $90 and actually did the (again, pretty simple) cauterization. Now what possible reason was there for the ER visit? What I know is that the ENT and ER are part of the same organization. I assume I was helping to pay the salaries of all those women I saw sitting around doing nothing at the ER (which was empty of patients as far as I could tell). Or maybe I was helping to pay for their latest MRI machine. How about the doctor at the beginning of the video....he claims he needs $300 per hour to run his office. That's $12,000 per week, $624,000 per year. And he's just a local GP doing wellness checkups and colds. Anybody think they could do it a little cheaper?

[@jpwoelfling]

I don't understand why you went to the ER? Why would you not go to a family doctor or your primary care doctor first instead of an ER? His visit would have cost your copay only and you would have gotten the referral to ENT.

[@scottsrfun]

get supplemental insurance that would pay the rest. it's only about $150.00 per month. That my friend will be far less expensive than having the government pay the bill think about it. You will be paying for it believe that or not, and it will be a lot more expensive .

[@dsodragon8152]

so all i could gather on why american healthcare is expensive is that Insurance companies are greedy.... but the 6000$ bill on CT scan is fine? and it costs a doctor 300$/hr to open a clinic?? really?

[@69UNCHAIN69]

Whenever I need to see a doctor for a major issue (eye/tooth surgery), I fly to Taiwan to get it, because the cost of airplane ticket + fee to the doctor + Annal fee to keep my citizenship in Taiwan + annual fee of universal health care in Taiwan is less than what I would be paying my doctor in America.

[@trangwuong7689]

I would like for an _intelligent_ person to explain how a cat scan, laboratory, eeg/ekg/ecg, radiology, and simply _walking_ into an emergency room, all of which took about two hours of work, constitutes an $8K+ charge? Keep in mind, there were a lot of other patients being seen st the same time. Thank you.

[@ethangray8527]

Gotta pay for the equipment and salary somehow. I guess.

[@joshuafleming6206]

Mia the point is pay up or don’t get treatment☺️

[@joshuafleming6206]

Mia How? I’m not a multi-billion dollar hospital facility provider nor do I plan on being one. I ensure I have top medical cover with gap cover.

[@joshuafleming6206]

Mia What have you been smoking my dear? Who said I’m American, fyi fruit for your arrogance and assumption I’m not American, but rather South African working in the pre-hospital emergency care industry.

[@joshuafleming6206]

What are you on about, your replies are not even making sense?

[@markrochelle1760]

Thanks

[@SepherStar]

My dad rented this tiny hole in the wall office space in an industrial area. It used to be a garage. He managed to fit a reception area and two exam rooms in it, and it was just him and an office assistant. He didn't take insurance and was able to charge about $75 per visit because he had such low overhead. I used to take my cat to a vet with the same type of set up. Teeny tiny office space that used to be a storage area. People waited outside but it was nice because the animals didn't realize they were at the vet, so were a lot more relaxed, and the prices were really low because of the low overhead. Despite it's appearances it was a popular place with some pretty affluent people because it was walk in only. You don't need a fancy office. You just need a place to have an office. Come to think of it, shouldn't doctor's offices have outside waiting rooms? Wouldn't that minimize the spread of germs?

[@grippingrope9937]

Most of the developed world - healthcare The United States - hEAlthcare

[@StudentDoctor-oq2bo]

This is such a tough topic that I believe has so many different layers that adds to the complexity of the problem. First and foremost, I believe that the root of the problem is seeded in greed. Insurance companies, specifically referring to the U.S., have obtained this level where they can dictate in some cases what a doctor can and can’t do for their patients. So, in many cases, we have non-clinical people making clinical decisions. Insurance companies and hospital organizations have also inflated medical prices to increase their bottom line. Again, you have non-clinical people making clinical decisions. In my opinion, hospitals should never be run like a traditional business. Hospitals should only exist as nonprofit organizations because than patients become the top priority rather than making money. Like I said earlier in my comment, there are so many different layers to this issues that it’s hard to pinpoint one thing to change. We need to look at the source of the problem i.e. Insurance companies, for profit hospitals, and even the government, if we want to see any real change. I want to finish by saying that I don’t believe that our healthcare system is bad, I just think that it is being highjacked and exploited by “bad” people and organizations.

[@OdellHobson]

Thank you

[@herodotus53]

I recently had a ten-minute consultation with my primary care physician, scheduled about six months in advance. No tests, no “procedures”, just him chatting with me briefly while he asked if I had received a flu shot and told me to eat more green vegetables. A week later I got a bill for $88. Without insurance it would have been twice that. No, it wasn’t a huge sum of money but I am struggling to understand why 10 minutes with a doctor who only speaks to me in a general way about my health has to cost anything at all. I guess this is what freedom tastes like, right?

[@societalwisdom9930]

That is what inefficiency taste like. One way or another, THE problem with high medical cost almost completely boils down to inefficiency.

[@JMcomments]

So glad the uk has the common sense to have an NHS

[@nepalihercules]

takes a month to get an appointment.

[@Dimerzz]

nepali hercules least its free

[@nepalihercules]

just cuz its free doesn't mean you actually get care. you wait a month just to get an appointment and for operations you need to wait at least 6 month to a year. a lot of people just die waiting cuz they give you painkiller for pretty much anything. you complain, they just up the dosage. venezeula also has free health care.

[@BobRadu]

I live in Turkey and it has "free" public healthcare as well in addition to a secondary private market, but I'm telling you, the free healthcare is awesome. Sure, the clinics and hospitals don't look very "shiny", but these are public services and are meant to worry about your health care, not whether the doctor's office has free coffee and a hot receptionist. For that, we just go to the private insurance if you can afford it. I can, but I still just stick with the public, even with a chronic condition.

[@nepalihercules]

turkey is a shithole

[@bobsmith-wg9fz]

forgot to mention the hospital double and triple billing for everything and billing for stuff you never got!

[@bmw803]

That's what happens when "someone else is paying".

[@Lex60]

And thats why Mexican doctors and dentist on the border are so popular. A regular cavity filling can cost here like 30 to 50 dollars with a good experienced dentist. In USA the prices go over 200 without insurance!

[@liberallarry847]

More of this.More input from Doctors, and those living in modern nations with successful good functioning healthcare.

[@mymak-jq1hy]

We can't have affordable care without getting rid of the for profit insurance companies. With single payer systems or universal systems you have bargaining power against the medical supply and pharmaceutical companies.

[@williampennjr.4448]

how do you have bargaining power with single payer? When has anyone ever won bargaining with the government? Insurance company's and the government are equally bad but at least with a free market if I don't like what they are selling or how they do things I can leave. In a free market there are always competitors willing to accept my terms often for less money.

[@ratfoot]

J Shysterr tell that to Merck

[@williampennjr.4448]

ratfoot firstly, Single payer is still the government, secondly its still not health care. Thirdly, its still not making health care affordable. Giving up food and clothes for a month to buy a video game is not making video games affordable. Extorting money out of my neighbor to buy a BMW is not making BMW's affordable. You make something affordable by lowering the price or increasing the buyers take home pay, like tax cuts. Fourthly, where is insurance mention as a governmental power in the Constitution? Nowhere! Fifthly, Read the 10th amendment. Sixthly, why dont your liberal states exercise their states rights by having single payer if its such a great idea?, the libtard hypocrits!. Seventhly, If you have the IQ above a vegitable you would know that businesses cant compete with the government. They cant make laws, they cant force people to pay them or collect taxes, they cant stay in business if they have no money but they can be sued unlike the government. If the post office was a private business they would have gone bankrupt decades ago. If any bussiness had a debt 10 times their revenue they would not only be out of business but their executives would be in jail. Eighthly, what rock have you been living under that you havent heard this a thousand times already?

[@NUCLEARARMAMENT]

J Shysterr In order to get the closest possible thing to full coverage under the private healthcare plan in the US market is to have a Platinum PPO primary plan as your major medical insurance policy, with an additional but still necessary fixed indemnity reimbursement health insurance policy that acts as a supplement to your primary insurance policy. I looked up the prices and found out that a 73-year-old immigrant without a green card yet would have to pay anywhere from $750 a month to more than $2000 a month for Platinum PPO primary insurance policy, and at least $100 a month (or probably far more) for the secondary fixed indemnity insurance policy to make up the difference in cost not covered by the primary insurance policy. Of course, that is considering such an individual is even accepted despite his status, regardless of whether or not he can afford it. This also doesn't take into account those fancy dental and vision PPO plans either, but those are probably the cheapest available. The prices are quoted from this PDF, and they were effective from January 2016 and might be outdated:

[@williampennjr.4448]

Nuclear Armament Do you have anything besides a strawman argument. Who ever said that insurance or healthcare in the U.S. is affordable? It WAS affordable for the middle class before liberal policys took over in the 70's. Why cant people buy insurance from any insurance company? How does limiting competition for insurance or healthcare make it affordable? Or better? What is the point of giving someone 50 million dollars from healthcare providers or insurance companys which everyone else will have to pay for,, because someone had some non- financial pain due to a medical mistake? What is wrong with limiting awards for pain to something reasonable?

[@dpersonal1]

Hey, you should rename the title of this video to "chit chat with doctors."

[@DaHamburglarGT]

Many reasons: 1. It's expensive for the same reason college is expensive. Government guaranteed rates assures the people pay the most expensive charges. 2. Insurance companies have to protect their investments to an egregious degree. Malpractice and other civil lawsuits in the US, whether they win or not, cost the insurance companies every time. Universal healthcare ensures the docs still make a ton of money without solving the problem.

[@ericwallentine6119]

Three contributors: 1. Insurance companies assume too much risk and this costs too much. 2. When a party does not see the true costs of a service, it is overused and prices rise. 3. Insurance CONTROLS costs, but only THEIR costs. They charge us more and keep the difference for themselves like any good business. However, remove them and the patient costs go down as doctors compete. See "direct care" models. They work.

[@maazkhan3202]

why does this man have a yellow eye

[@costa97vm]

I'm looking for a answer!!!

[@yipyappyyip]

Maaz Khan she put more fluorescein sodium in right eye than left

[@costa97vm]

yipyappyyip god bless you haha

[@JROSALES-nt6qd]

yipyappyyip thank you I was wondering why it was yellow

[@Conspirator9481]

Maaz Khan Hep C maybe?

[@channelforpositivitylunder9385]

Is anyone else confused by how one doctor said he took 1 whole hour with the patient and gets paid only like $80 when his costs are like $300? That seems a bit like false info ??

[@yemenamen5502]

Channel for Positivity l Understanding l Justice ethnics are always stealing and lying I bet he isn't a real doctor

[@markgarber3465]

depends on how his overhead is broken down. There's the cost of renting the space, paying the staff, malpractice insurance, keeping his licenses and certs active and up to date, keeping the computer systems and bookkeeping up to date, and the cost of supplies (both medical and office). He may have to pay in to being part of a practice (which would cover some of the above expenses). It also depends on where his practice is and how expensive all that overhead is in his location.

[@tonyman2c]

You'll be very lucky to get the same type of checkup this guy got. Those doctors were actually doing something.

[@rufussweeneymd]

First year medical student here. We do spend more than any industrialized country per capita, but the healthcare is quite good here. Cancer survivor rates are among the best, and our medical innovation is top notch.

[@narsingkopo8267]

went to wallmart saw a man bought a fliers then walked in his car and pulled out his teeth , wow Dental service must be expensive in the land of dreams...

[@Life-tastic]

Not really I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed and it might cost me $300 or so

[@Life-tastic]

That's not at the dentist mind you, I went to him twice and was charged $88 total with him trying to remove them both times. This'll be the oral surgeon I'll be talking to since I'm apparently very hard to numb with local agents and injections.

[@jordancz1]

This guy is an example of the patient you don't want to see

[@nopenadda]

Moynihan it is paperwork. Wish you had mentioned the AMA played a HUGE role in where we are today, the mess we have. Goes farther back than i am old, and not the driving force behind cost but important to remember.

[@niagarawarrior9623]

In Canada, if you have a good doctor - even if your not covered by a drug plan you can still get your medication for free. ive only had to pay for my own medication (antibiotics) on only a few occasions when i didnt see my family doctor. quite often the doctor will give you a handful of 'sample / trail medication' instead of writing your a prescription.

[@liesbethdevries4986]

Doctors took an oath to the well being of their patients. Universal care will bring "narcissistic" doctors back to their oath. The "empathic" doctors will always keep their oath. So universal health care will benefit all. In a way.

[@Patchuchan]

Doctors are still well paid in countries with universal health care so it's not like they have much to loose besides anyone with half a brain can clearly see the present system in the US is unsustainable.

[@robhicks2117]

After Obama care my health insurance monthly payment eventually quadrupled.

[@GodsNode]

1:50 Exactly what my Doctor told me.

[@kevincarter7633]

This is great

[@Mandraquex3000]

The only way to get congress motivated would be for them to all be forced to use the lowest tier of the ACA... and by default, the lowest tier of any healthcare coverage that is enacted.

[@Tearakan]

It's because you can't have a free market system when the customers cannot refuse your services. That is a key facet of free market systems that work. A customer has to have the option to refuse the service to keep costs down.

[@zxcasdqwe33]

Tearakan don't forget about competition :)

[@jan-willemvandijk3850]

In a small town there's often no competition because there is simply not enough patients to sustain two or more doctors. Emergencies also don't allow you to shop around. Lastly, patents on certain treatments also mean there is no competition for several years. You mean for people to die waiting for the price to drop?

[@randomguy5990]

Then you have only sick people on health insurance and that's not sustainable. Then, when the healthy people get sick they will have thousands of dollars in medical bills. They have a system in Canada where you can't "refuse your service" and they have much cheaper cost.

[@randomguy5990]

Wally Heisenberg Good luck telling the people with cancer they have to wait two years. that's a death sentence or they will have millions in medical loans.

[@bardler99]

Someone dying or sick in need of emergency care does not have the luxury of 'shopping around.'

[@vishalsanjay4017]

The problem here is not that the insurance companies are too greedy, it's just that there aren't that many insurance companies. If the barriers to insurance were fewer, there would be a lot more companies trying to get the best doctors into their networks, outbidding their competitors, similarly, they'd have to provide the best coverage for the best price for consumers. Free markets can work miracles for healthcare, it's just that no country in the world truly has free-market healthcare, there are tons of regulations and red tape that prevent a perfectly competitive market from existing.

[@stayswervin554]

ive heard insurance only had a 2% profit margin tbh but idk im trying to find the healthcare data

[@nicow6808]

Totally objective and unbiased piece