Swedish Healthcare vs. US Healthcare!!

#sweden #swedishculture #healthcare
Learn the differences between the Swedish Healthcare system and the US Healthcare system. A lot of my American friends ask me what the Swedish healthcare system is like, and it was one of the things I was most curious about before moving to Sweden. In this video, we break down the what health care is like in Sweden, and how it compares to the healthcare in America.
@evanthomas.me / evanthomas.me
@jjuliarosen / jjuliarosen
American view on healthcare 0:46
Socialized Medicine 1:39
How Swedish Healthcare works 2:40
Health Costs in Sweden 3:19
Dental Costs in Sweden 4:25
USA Health system 6:48
Comparing Sweden vs USA healthcare 9:05
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[@queenjeski591]

i have several chronic illnesses and i go to the hospital very frequently as well as having to take a plethora of different meds daily. i once did the math and without sweden’s yearly spending cap i would be paying close to 100 000 SEK each month for those medications alone. it scares me to think about how much i would be paying for the rest of my healthcare as well. my grandpa had his own business for close to 40 years before he retired and therefore has ”lost” a lot of his earnings paying taxes and this is something he was always quite annoyed about - until i became sick. he now thinks of it like all the taxes he has ever paid was just paying it forward in order to fund the medical care i depend on now and i think that’s a really nice way of looking at it. you do not only pay taxes if you yourself eventually become sick in the future, you also pay it for all of your friends and family’s sake as well as total strangers who might need the help. i think the very individualistic (and sometimes even egoistic) mindset a lot of americans have make it hard for them to understand why you would ever help someone you don’t know, and that’s the problem. i think ”solidarity” is a word and a concept that the US would benefit from knowing and implementing.

[@praisedone5456]

WoW!! I wish a good health and a long life. What you just said... Bravo! BRAVO! 😯🙌👏👏👏

[@DNA350ppm]

Thanks dear for sharing your story, queen jeski! There are still enough Swedes to think like you and your grandpa, I am very grateful for that! Thanks to that mentality we can keep the solidarity and generosity going, it works like a mutual insurance covering every one. When I earlier came to Germany and noticed people actuallly sitting in the streets begging for money, I wasn't able to sleep for many nights and if I slumbered a little I had nightmares. Now the beggars have become common in Sweden, because our insurance doesn't cover for non-residents' needs. That is a problem that should be solved on the EU-level. But why is it so hard for other countries to learn from the Nordic countries - who can tell? The Nordic countries have had their share of hardships and poverty, too.

[@dwaynethewokjohnson7773]

@@DNA350ppm We can not pay for outsiders who hasn't contributed anything. That will lead to a system collapse. As if there already isn't one. We have 330 000 pensioners living under EU:s poverty line and we also have 33 000 homeless were alot of them are old swedes. We have massive housing problems because of our insanly high immigration because of stupid politicians and Immigrants takes precedence in the queue. That isn't very swedish considering the queue culture here that you don't enter before anyone else but I guess our politicians didn't think about that. This country either way is fucked.

[@TalesOfWar]

I'm diabetic, I'd be dead if I lived in the US. I've heard of people having to pay $700 for a single vial of insulin! Being in the UK means I get it for "free". I'm happy to pay my taxes to fund such things knowing others don't have to worry about such things.

[@kgrfirdjy]

the insulin price is not that far off. my state, virginia, capped the monthly cash insulin price to $50.00. Previously, as a type one diabetic, I had to pay around $330 per 1000 unit bottle of plain Humalog, Novolog, and Apidra insulin to take via insulin pump. The price was similar per bottle of Lantus or Levemir insulin, which I have as a backup for when my pump breaks or as a supplement when on corticosteroids like dexamethasone to control high glucose levels. I use around 3 bottles a month of humalog and paid around $1,000 monthly just to remain alive. I met people facing similar conundrums when I volunteered as a free clinic nurse and was fortunate enough to learn how to work with doctors // nurse practitioners // physician assistants to enroll people imcluding myself in programs to get free insulin when they could not afford health insurance or were like me, being underinsured. Fortunately, Virginia expanded Medicaid coverage qualifications for people with limited income, and many people, including myself, got full drug coverage for most meds including insulin. Sadly, this is not always the case nationwide, resulting in some people being forced to ration their insulin to afford other bills like utilities, food, and housing, which more often than not results in death or life-threatening complications such as kidney failure. Our healthcare system is not a disgrace; rather, it is beyond disgraceful and is truly a corrupt, murderous nightmare.

[@makombi32]

What that guy said in the video around 2:00, "Do you like to pay taxes?". As a swede I can tell you that I definitely enjoy paying taxes that goes to healthcare and education. I've benefited from this so incredibly much in my 21 year long life, mostly because I've been getting tax-paid education since I was 1 year old, but also because I have a mild disease that I need medicine for which costs quite a bit of money every month. Having said this, I'm generally leaning to the right side of swedish politics (which is still left by american standards), but when it comes to taxes I'd happily pay more than I am right now as long as it's used for the right things, like education and healthcare.

[@johanjacobsen393]

Couldn’t agree more here. I am, just like you, leaning more towards the right side of politics. I’ve also got nothing against paying taxes as long as they go towards the right thing. The problem is that most of taxes goes to financial support.

[@simonerro7883]

I’m just curious as to where you find your information regarding that most of taxes goes towards financial support? And in your meaning, what is financial support? If by financial support, you’re meaning money that’s being paid out to citizens that can’t, under certain circumstances, work for either short or long term, that’s around 2,1% of the municipals economy as of 2019. Compare that to the elderly care that was 18,4% the same year.

[@Anoriell84]

Yeah, and if we can get a basic income (like 10.000 kr or so) I wouldn’t mind to pay 40% + on my other income.

[@isaka3719]

I’d answer “no but I don’t like paying medical bills and tuition fees either”.

[@fragosa]

The question should be: what do you prefer, that your tax money goes mainly to army and space ventures or to health and education too?

[@magnusdustler1490]

Note: This is not really the difference between the Swedish and US healthcare systems, it's the difference between US healthcare and healthcare in more or less every other developed country in the world, with a couple of exceptions. So if Swedish healthcare is socialist, then so is every other country's healthcare.

[@TalesOfWar]

The main difference between health care in the US and everywhere else in the world is... there IS health care everywhere else in the world.

[@kennethhudson8013]

Yep govt beauraracracy is always good. Free market is better

[@dracopticon7788]

@@kennethhudson8013 A "free market" is only free for the ones that can afford it.

[@georgeq5720]

Health insurance is not a measure of healthcare in the USA. A person with good insurance who ends up in a good hospital is still neglected by the hospital workers who often times ignore patients altogether. They don’t respond to patients in a timely manner, they don’t safeguard patients belongings and private property. Doctors try to send patients out quickly in order to see as many patients within an hour, because that’s what makes them money. Doctors are ineffective, despite having the best education in the world.

[@goread5544]

@@georgeq5720 this is the same in South Africa. We have exceptional Drs in general but you absolutely need to have private health care which costs a fortune & go to a private hospital. Even then you experience problems with nursing staff, management etc - although there are exceptions like The Park Lane Clinic (mostly maternity) that is all round exceptional. Government hospitals on the other hand are a death trap in South Africa - understaffed, everyone is over worked & they are underfunded (we pay high taxes but there is so much corruption in government these hospitals don’t receive the funding they are supposed to.) Even the Drs and staff there worry for their safety there (incidents of Drs being murdered or raped or assaulted for eg)

[@marcusgustavsson5098]

hey iam nurse in sweden. and you missed the fact that we have somthing called sjukhustanvården so if you would get badly injuered and break a teath they can acculy help you there and it will go under the same cost as staying at the hopsital.

[@davidjosue6959]

Wait you have to pay for it ?

[@darkiee69]

@@davidjosue6959 Did you even watch the video?

[@silphaatrata]

Breaking a tooth will not send you to the dentist at a hospital. If you break a tooth you will have to pay if you are a normal citizen. To get help by a specialist (dentist at hospital) you would have to like a severe infection that is life threatening which is uncommon.

[@connienickols9489]

I appreciate these videos! I'm an American, but my company is Swedish and I will be transferring to Eskilstuna early in 2022. Thanks for the info!

[@annahart69]

In Denmark if you feel that you have to wait too long for treatment/surgery (that isnt "acute"), you have the right to receive faster treatment at a private hospital/a different hospital elsewhere in the country. Most people just wait anyway, but if you feel/think that your problem/pain is getting worse, you can get help from your doctor, or call either the "emergency phone" for advice/"same day treatment" (nurses and doctors who will assess your situation and act upon it accordingly), or the actual emergency hotline for immediate ambulance respons. There are actually quite a few swedish nurses and doctors working in danish hospitals. I have a chronic condition and I feel lucky to live in Denmark and deeply appreciate both the quality and many options for care here. The only Irritating thing in danish healthcare is, that dentistry isnt part of the "deal", but I pay my taxes gladly and do not have to have expensive private insurance or be dependant on having a job that provides health insurance either. I dont have to fear large bills (or small) for treatment I cannot do without. I wouldnt be alive if the danish healthcare system didnt "have my back" both financially as well as the level and range of expertise.

[@christinesalomonsson1082]

What about the högkostnadsskydd? You never pay morethan $120 in a year (dentist not included)

[@wictoriaojheden]

I know i mentioned that :)

[@camillalundgren2914]

You mentioned the cap for medicines but i think i must have missed if you mentioned the healthcare-cap aswell

[@jimjames1920]

Good video guys. Whether you're in Sweden, the US or anywhere there still in no such thing as "a free lunch". It seems much easier for governments to theorize and have great ideas about a proper system than to apply, practice and implement a system on a day to day basis over years. That's where the hard work really is. The single payer idea needs to be seriously considered as the insurance companies are mainly highly overpaid cashiers and accountants.

[@johannas.l.brushane2518]

Good point. And also the importance of estimating the alternative costs for people deciding to not have medical care they need. People with for for instance chronic illness or psychiatric problems that goes unattended to typically has less, if any, taxable income and by that also contribute to deliver less VAT (sales tax) to govetnments because they consume less goods and services.

[@anushkasekkingstad1300]

In the Nordics, insurance companies play no part in healthcare.

[@ivanalmeling6683]

It can never be that high. There is something called "högkostnadsskyddet" that makes the top prize on healthcare in Sweden (per year) around 140$.

[@carl8345]

What happens if the price exceeds that amount?

[@Bond91Swe]

@@carl8345 Then the rest is covered by taxes just like most of the healthcare already is. Medicin works roughly the same way, with another price celing and once you hit that the rest is "free". It covers it for a year starting from the first payment. (Hypothetically say you needed to visit the doctor in April and then coming back for check-ups throughout the year and in January you hit the price ceiling. From then until April the rest of your medical cost are covered.)

[@Erika-br8xo]

You should talk about costs for people with cronical ilness like being diabetic or have astma. F. ex insulin is free in Sweden so no one has to die because they can not afford it.

[@MelinaJamiee]

Yes exactly! I have hypothyroidism, endometriosis and chronic pain syndrome and because of that I take a lot of medication that would have cost a fortune in the US. If I lived there I would’ve probably been dead due to not being able to afford seeing a doctor, or my medicine.

[@jimmybaldbird3853]

Why dont you just cure your diabetes instead? Shouldnt that be the goal? Especially, type 2

[@Erika-br8xo]

@@jimmybaldbird3853 oh cure it? So, do you get your nobel price this year or next?

[@jimmybaldbird3853]

@@Erika-br8xo what are you talking about? Everyone knows the cause of type 2 diabetes. If one eliminates carbohydrates from their diet, they will regain insulin sensitivity. This is the problem with the world.

[@jimmybaldbird3853]

@@MelinaJamiee no you wouldnt have. You have a false, almost comical perception of the US

[@lorenzoguastalli9982]

Hi guys I really love your comparison videos, they are very interesting and you present real data, just the way it should be. As an italian immigrant in Gothenburg I especially appreciate when facts about Sweden are presented and not myths! Keep it going, see you along Avenyn!

[@EvanThomas]

Glad you like them! :) please subscribe to see more

[@nunereclipsereborn]

@@EvanThomas America has a cartel system aka corporate medicine not free market.

[@gamian_skillard1333]

Im moving to Sweden. That's all there is to it. Thank you both.

[@ugaais]

They won’t take you look up what is required to become a citizen

[@theking497]

As a swede the U.S healthcare system is the sole reason that i don't want to move there.

[@EvanThomas]

I think that's true for many Europeans that want to move there.

[@josephcastillo1104]

So you’d pay high taxes rather than pay for low cost health insurance? Lol you guys can keep your “free” healthcare, I’ll stick to keeping most of the money I worked for 😂

[@vanligid]

@@josephcastillo1104 Explain "high" taxes. And btw if you get cancer/stroke/diabetes sometime in your lifetime please let your relatives send me a copy of your death certificate cause you couldnt afford the healthcare.

[@Stefanburakov]

One of many for me

[@scottysscandinavia5793]

@@vanligid I'll do it for him. 31,4% social avgift, then around 33% income tax (on average), then 25% MOMS (12% even on food), 22% capital gains tax on a primary residence, over 40% tax on electricity, and on and on. Average Swedish salary 45.100 SEK/month. Average US salary 65.500 SEK/month. Average US health insurance cost is 3.780 SEK/month for an individual. For a family, it's 9.560 SEK/month. If we take the social avgift as the healthcare cost, the average Swede pays 14.161 SEK/month for their healthcare (a 2 parent working family pays twice that for the family). To even things out we can add the US 7,6% 'social avgift' that pays for things like Medicare and apply it to their average salary. This means an American is paying 8.758 SEK/month for the combination of their own medical insurance, and the care of others - 38% less than a Swede, and a much smaller percentage of their income - for superior health care (just try getting an appointment at my local vårdscentral - it's easier to suffer the disease/injury - also, Sweden has the lowest number of hospital beds/capita in Europe) Now consider that the vast majority of medical care happens once a person is older and has been paying into a national insurance system for around 40 years. Adding 10% annual compound growth to the money in your pot, the amount available for your health care is vast. Yet Sweden denied proper care to older people in care homes who caught covid. The Swedish system is better because it lets fewer people fall thorough the cracks, but don't believe it's either good or cheap (let alone free).

[@Hybinette]

Tummen upp! Ni borde göra en video tillsammans med Stefan Thyron :D

[@Asa...S]

De bor i Göteborg, och han bor i Stockholm, så det kanske är lättare sagt än gjort.

[@peopleofonefire9643]

Americans don't total up the costs of medical insurance + total patient costs. Actually, Americans spend over twice as much on healthcare than Swedes (including the taxes they pay). A big difference in Sweden is that heathcare profession students receive their education free, plus are paid an allowance commensurate with their years of education, plus usually do not have to pay liability insurance. I worked in Landskrona, Sweden so know that everything you said on this video is true. Really enjoy your videos. Wish more American politicians watched your programs.

[@jimmybaldbird3853]

No i dont. If you understood the american model, you would know this is absolutely not true.

[@drburcham]

The tax calculations would have me paying over 30k US dollars more in Sweden, My insurance is payed 100% by the company I work for!

[@annakoch9972]

@@drburcham Does your health care insurance get paid if you loose your job? Does you get care if you don't work?

[@drburcham]

@@annakoch9972 Yes I have lost my job and I signed up for insurance for me and my kids and had it until I found another job. And it's against the law for a hospital to not treat you even if you don't have health insurance!

[@annakoch9972]

@@drburcham in Sweden you don't have to sign up for health care if you loose your job, it just exists. The health care have nothing to do if you work, have worked or never will work. Yes, you pay taxes when you work but everybody gets health care, the old lady who have been a housewife her whole life, the newborn with preexisting injury, the student with no parents to relieve on to stay on their health insurance, everyone "no question ask". They don't have to sign up for something, they don't get a low budget care there you have to go to another hospital because your insurance don't pay for all treatment if you have several issues.

[@Jerry.Karlsson]

5:52 - The dentist cost you told is WRONG. If U pay 20.000 SEK, the first 3.000 SEK (you pay 100% of the cost), you pay 6.000 SEK up to 15.000 SEK (you pay 50% of the cost) the last 5.000 SEK (you pay 15% of the cost. If the total cost is 20.000 SEK you gonna pay 3000+6000+750 = 9750 SEK or about 1060 USD. And also its from u are 24 years of age and until the day before you turn 30 you get a 600 SEK or 72USD cut, after 30 and until your 64 you get half of that 300 SEK or 36USD cut each year, and again from your 65 until death you get the same 600 SEK or 72 USD cut..

[@silphaatrata]

Indeed, they are feeding misinformation. This is stuff that all regions in Sweden have on their websites and that you can find at national agencies.

[@snc4278]

I agree with the idea of socialized medicine on principle. Although for it to work in the US we would need to be able to trust our politicians. It seems regardless of party, our representatives don’t care about the people they say they represent.

[@MaN2Mega]

You already have Medicare, it's just blocked by age

[@TalesOfWar]

It's crazy how the electorate in the US seem to be happy to pay their taxes to fund wars in foreign lands (where ironically they give free treatment to wounded enemy combatants) but they're so against spending some of that on health care for the masses.

[@snc4278]

@@MaN2Mega Medicare is not on par with a good full socialized medical system. Do some reading about the French system which is light years ahead of everywhere else. Although for it to work here we would need severe oversight and to quickly hold our politicians accountable for their constant skullduggery. Canada’s healthcare system is an example of what a Medicare for all system in the US would be like.

[@Alex-rn5hz]

Just finished reading an article that Swedish healthcare has a lot problems. Shortage of beds, doctors, nurses, and long wait times for special surgeries and Emergency room visits. I would be pissed if I’m paying all those taxes and not getting sufficient healthcare . Sweden has third highest in spending per GDP in healthcare

[@patrickaaronsnitchler9877]

Thanks for making this video guys! I’ll just offer a few counterpoints since I don’t see anyone doing that in the comments, and I actually sell employer health insurance in the US, in California no less where it’s very expensive. I know the strengths and flaws of our system from the inside out. I’ve also had the privilege of traveling to Europe several times and have been treated in a single payer system, with nothing but good things to say. A couple of things I felt were missing from this video. First, it’s not just the rich that can afford to pay for healthcare. We do have a national-state partnership health insurance program for the poor called Medicaid. We also have Medicare for the elderly. The pro is that more people get covered and both are very inexpensive to the patient, Medicaid usually being free at the point of service. The con is that they reimburse providers at such low rates that over half of providers would go out business on Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement alone. Second, since 2014, subsidized private health insurance has also been offered through the healthcare marketplace, a government sponsored enterprise that allows people to shop for plans. For example, I worked a measly job and made $24K my first year out of college. My subsidized marketplace plan was about $5 per month with a $200 deductible and a $1000 maximum. At the very worst, if I broke all four limbs and busted my head, I would have had to pay $1060. And this plan gave me access to the best doctors in California which are some of the best in the world. After that year, employers always covered my monthly healthcare premiums, and I’ve always had a plan with a $2-3K maximum, which I’ve never hit, thankfully. But yes, if you don’t have good insurance, you can get totally screwed. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t have health insurance because they don’t know about the assistance programs or because they’re not mandated to. Thanks again for the video! Hope I’m not coming off too harsh.

[@LRRPFco52]

The wait times in NHSs are unacceptable for a developed nation, and service is very poor in many cases in Sweden, Finland, Canada, etc. We have our issues in the US which need to be fixed, but going to even lower standards of care with more bureaucratic involvement (the direction we’re going) is adding even more problems.

[@rogerfranklin5732]

I moved to Sweden and unfortunately have needed quite a bit of healthcare. It is truly amazing. Get next day GP appointments routinely, saw a specialist in 10 days and surgery within a week- and all for a non-urgent, non-serious condition. Cost is basically $15 per visit unless you are poor in which case you don’t pay. Universal healthcare can be (and is in Sweden) cheap and excellent. Of course the right in the US always compares to UK or Canada which are worse universal systems.

[@captaincarl1603]

I'm a native Swede that have lived for more than 10 years in the US, now back in Sweden again. There is a common misconception that in Sweden everyone get excellent healthcare but in the US only the very rich can afford it. When you explain to Swedes that this is just not true, many take it as a personal insult. If you are investing astronomical amounts of tax-money in something you don't want it to be questioned. During my time in the US I just had a normal affordable health insurance, like most other people had. This simple insurance gave me access to fast and excellent care when I needed it. At a much lower cost than my taxes in Sweden. Just because the cost of healthcare is hidden in your taxes it doesn't mean it's cheaper, or better. On the contrary, Swedish hospital care is among the most expensive in the world, you just don't get the bill in your hand when you check out. The Swedish Healthcare System has fewer doctors and nurses per citizen than most other European countries, which results in dangerously long waiting times (up to several years) for surgery. Many cancer patients pass the point when treatment is no longer an option while waiting. The Emergency Room Service in the Swedish Health Care System have basically collapsed. Just a few months ago I took my wife to the ER for severe stomach pains. We had to wait 22 hours to see a doctor. 22 hours, on a hard plastic bench, nothing to eat, nothing to drink, not even a soda-machine. After another 2-3 hours waiting for test results the doctor informs us that my wife has acute appendicitis, and need immediate emergency surgery. Also the Swedish Health Care System accepts no liability for injuries due to mistreatment. If you are injured during a medical procedure you get nothing. If you end up in a wheelchair for life from bad surgery, you have to live on social welfare checks. My conclusion is that healthcare in the US is superior to healthcare in Sweden. It is certainly more effective, faster, cheaper and more qualified than in Sweden. The problem in the US is random poverty, making some groups of the population unable to pay for insurance at all. But that's another political discussion.

[@trollwaffen1248]

Your opinion, which would’ve you preferred? IMO at least most companies at least pay for your HC in the states

[@elin5888]

There's also the "frikort", also known as "högkostnadsskyddet", which is that if you pay up to 1150 SEK within a year, you go for free the remaining year. Appoinments to for ex the physiotherapist, chiropractor, psychologist and dietitian are also included in this. There are a few things that are not included in this, like some vaccine shots etc, but most of the primary health care are. Since I had a frikort when I had my surgery I didn't have to pay anything. This surgery costs about 60 000 SEK if you go to a private clinic, but I got it through a referral from the vårdcentral and therefore I paid nothing. And since we're part of the EU, EU residents pay the same costs as we do in the Swedish health care if they have a valid EU health card, which allows us to seek health care in other EU countries if needed and it'll cost the same as for a resident in that country. Great video! :)

[@Enterialise]

Yeah, without the "frikort" I would probably have ended up on the street. I have care meetings several times a month, the first 5-6 visits I pay 24 usd / visit. Which for me then takes about 2 months until I am up to 138 usd, the remaining 10 months all visits are free. I should point out that this also applies to treatments in psychiatric care. Same thing with the medications just a different 'free card' / 🇸🇪

[@PaulDilla]

I’ve worked in hospital administration in the United States for a good amount of time now and I still don’t get the system here. Honestly, the reason why it’s so expensive is because of the sheer complexity, higher costs, insurance companies, and so much more. Good video - gave me a good reference point to compare to

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching :) please subscribe to see more

[@CoughFee]

You left our pure greed.

[@dannhymir9678]

That complexity is by design and Wall Street is now taking advantage of it. Hedge funds have bought doctors medical groups and purposely taken doctors out of certain health plans/networks so that the doctors services are more expensive to unsuspecting patients--and making more profit for the hedge fund and doctors. Until this last month it was legal for patients to have an emergency surgery at the same hospital with say one surgeon in network (covered by insurance), but maybe the anesthesiologist out of network (not covered by their insurance plan)--and then hit the patient with a surprise bill of thousands of dollars. Congress recently passed a law to make surprise billing illegal, but its only a matter of time before doctors groups and other special interests figure a legal way around this. Btw doctors lobbyists are also in part behind why Congress has not significantly raised funding for more medical residencies to get more medical students practicing (supply and demand--controlling the supply of doctors keeps their services, aka salaries high). These are just but 2 examples why healthcare in the U.S. is high. The high priced medical equipment, devices, drugs, etc. are other rackets that U.S. government enables to hold American patients/consumers captive. If average people knew about all of this the health and medical administrators would have an insurrection akin to the French Revolution on their hands. Given that its a highly profitable industry (doctors have the highest average salaries of any profession in the U.S.), it makes you wonder why many hospitals were so woefully underprepared for Covid19 in terms of PPEs and why the federal government had to shovel more aid money to keep many hospitals afloat.

[@jeremybingham490]

One thing I'd like to add about the wait times you talk about at around 12:00, those wait times exist in America too. I live in a major metro area with several competing hospital systems, and am a nurse. Several specialty clinics are booked out for 5-6 months as I write this. If something is urgent, it gets triaged to come first if delaying the care will cause long lasting harm. If it is not urgent, it will be delayed. And in regards to the taxes? So what? I already pay substantial amounts towards my health insurance company every 2 weeks, and still have very high out of pocket payments for healthcare. I'd rather pay to a government that has an interest in keeping me healthy, than to a private corporation that doesn't care if I get sick or not and has an interest to not pay for healthcare.

[@kf6857]

I live in Gothenburg, Sweden and went to the ER on NYE because of stomachache. I was there for 5 hours, they did a EKG test, took some blood samples and I meet with a doctor for 30 minutes who explained everything in detail. Total cost at the time: zero.

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for sharing :)

[@_.Alexander1._]

Stop lying! to see a doctor costs you 250 sek 25 dollars and hospital 300 sek 30 dollars and of course you pay for the medicine that is prescribed.

[@magnusdustler1490]

@@_.Alexander1._ Depends on the region. And högkostnadsskydd

[@scottysscandinavia5793]

If you're an average Swede (age and income), then you had already paid around 12 million SEK for that treatment. Bargain!

[@magnusdustler1490]

@@scottysscandinavia5793 And considering that US public expenditure on health care per capita is about 110-120% of Sweden's, the equivalent US citizen would have paid maybe 13-14 million SEK and would not get the treatment at all unless she paid for it up front or had health insurance adding several million more...

[@samuelterry6354]

Sounds like a good healthcare system. I like Sweden; I want to go there one day.

[@user-sf5iq2fl1l]

I wish i could say the same about U.S., would love to go there one day...but its a high risk adventure.

[@samuelterry6354]

@@user-sf5iq2fl1l I've only been to New York, but I would like to see more of the US too.

[@Genci0]

Yeah but when you go and try to get real help from the health care system first you wait for 14-16 hours for a normal check up after this if you get a referal then you should wait for this for 6 weeks or max 3 months wich never seems to work and for every specialist you meet you need to tell them everything even if they have your journals. You cant choose to have one doctor. Its a shitty system i rather pay for my health care. I had the luck to get help in switzerland because, the swedish system did send me around for 3 year... After say 50 thousends usd i got my help and this was from real professionals not the fake ass doctors from who knows where he got his or her degree from.

[@erikak8665]

@@Genci0 Not true though...

[@annairving5751]

@@Genci0 Wtf are you doing in the emergency room for a general check up? I assume that is were you are if you have to wait 14-16 hours before they tend to you. People have to understand that the emergency room is for EMERGENCIES, not to have your fungal problem examined. Leave and come back when you need real emergency help! The workers in the Swedish healthcare system are most often doing a great job, the problem is all the people that don't understand to take their medical issues through the correct channels.

[@goatcreek]

Add to that a income compensation of 80% of your salary during the time youre ill.

[@adamhenrikson4549]

74%*

[@everythingnature7936]

Its 80%

[@AlainNaigeon]

I was told that in the USA a private insurance company is allowed to stop your coverage if you cost them too much. :-o I think this is 100% impossible in France, and I would be very surprised if it were allowed in Sweden. Thus you might be rich, have a very good job, and get uncovered after a cancer, for instance.

[@ugaais]

You would be wrong

[@MarylandBelair]

I lived in US and Sweden for some years. Let say you have a family with 2 children and make $100k a year. Your income tax in US would be around 18%, health insurance 10% and sale tax on most goods 8%.=36% Leaving you with 64k to deal with. In Sweden you would pay 40% income tax and 25% sale tax on everything. Leaving you with 35k. Now, most of my friends in US make around 100k a year and even more while none of my friends in Sweden make over 60k. Another thing is a quality of medical care in US is so much better. I have to get a colonoscopy every 5 years. First 3 times were in US and went perfect. Forth time I had to do it in Sweden and that was terrible. They ignored my request for a sedation and did everything to save tax payers money. Quick and very painful.

[@ibelinbear3054]

@Deep West 😳 What about childbirth? I have a great OB in the US. But I feel like the process of giving birth itself would be more personable, humane and better (and cheaper) in Sweden. Thoughts?

[@MarylandBelair]

@@ibelinbear3054 all my 4 children were born in US with absolutely nothing to complain about. One of them was born 4 days after my insurance deductible was reset so we had to pay a bit more ) No experience with giving childbirth in Sweden. But today I called my policlinic to see my primary care doctor and the earliest date is mid November. Health care in Sweden sucks!

[@GairikBanerjee]

I absolutely love both your content, and your presentation style, PLUS your objectivity in your opinions. I wish there was a way to make this content available to ALL American voters in the upcoming (US) elections.

[@MrGagge67]

I had to replace both my knees and that cost was 240Skr. That included three nights, three meals per day and all the medicine I needed so I pay my taxes with a smile. ;)

[@kennethhudson8013]

So you are totally dependent on the government for all your needs, and they control your life. And it you complain you will be ignored? But I guess there a re no rich Socialist?

[@kennethhudson8013]

@zennty Socialism is totalitarianism

[@kennethhudson8013]

@zennty the government does such a great job, at nothing but playing us like fools. Free your mind!

[@kennethhudson8013]

@zennty oh, you mean communism lite? It is totalitarianism, go ahead be a robot for the government, give up all your freedoms, not me. The form of Socialism Democrats are pushing is Chinese Socialism where people are oppressed, murdered, imprisoned, spied on, manipulated by their government, with little freedom. They want the same for us. So no. It is not. Free your mind!

[@kennethhudson8013]

Like Margaret Thatcher said. Pretty soon you run out of other people's money.

[@SrikarReddy1993]

FFS.. Forget about the costs. People can’t even manage to see a doctor or a nurse in Sweden. I called my vårdcentral (local hospital) with a severe case of Tonsillitis and the nurse told me the earliest appointment I could get was 2 MONTHS! And this was in a prime area in Stockholm. Please talk about this too!

[@stefanexplores]

The Swedish healthcare system is pretty nice :) All the best from a swede! :D

[@EvanThomas]

It really is!

[@Jerry.Karlsson]

@@EvanThomas It is nice when you get it, the Swedish medical treatment is really nice. But the wait for 2.5 year for a hip replacement and the maximum dosage of drugs to cope with the pain I had wasn´t the greatest feeling.

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

It's nice for the most basic medical needs and emergencies. It's not so good when you have to wait a year to have your cancer operation.

[@erikak8665]

@@CriticalRoleHighlights If you're waiting a year for a cancer op. it's probably for other reasons. None of my 7 or so friends that have had cancer in the last an pleasure of years had to wait a year. Some had to wait a couple of weeks, some longer depending on the treatment and the urgency...

[@Wifyish]

It is pretty good when you are healthy and only have casual visits. But for that it is vastly overpriced.

[@lisagardner903]

I am a nurse here in the USA. First of all, every hospital in the USA is obligated to treat a person regardless of whether they have health insurance or not. A homeless person gets access to the hospital just like a rich person! I would agree that the rich or well off in the USA have fabulous health care. My husband and I have great health insurance (primary and secondary insurances) because we have good jobs and we have access to the best health care and dental care in the world. I do not have to wait for very long if I need a procedure and can get an appointment with my Doctor usually the same day or next. I am 58 years old so I see the dentist 4 times a year for teeth cleaning and pay nothing after insurance. It depends on what type of insurance you have because all of my medications are free and I have very small payments. I guess I would chose the USA because I have great health insurance and can afford to travel to MD Anderson, Shands, or the Mayo Clinic should I get really sick. My husband was in a terrible Motorcycle accident in 2015 and broke both wrists and a clavical and we only had to pay $100 for his hospital stay after insurances paid the bill.

[@liberoAquila]

A homeless or uninsured person only has a right to emergency care or to be stabilized. Even if you are on Medicaid you will get second rare care. My mom has "good" commercial insurance and has waited 6 months for rheumatologist.

[@thevaidik_]

Also do a video about amount of medical research done in both countries and salary of doctors

[@tonygroves5526]

The US may have the top rated hospitals, but what good are they if every day citizens can't afford basic medical care? I'm Canadian. I have two chronic health problems, one from birth. My parents would not have been able to afford anything for me in the US. Here I got top quality care, and my parents paid almost nothing (apart from income taxes, but we were probably below the level of having to pay.) I had 20 surgeries as a child, spent weeks in hospital, and travelled 2000 miles to get the best care for my condition.

[@jennyawliva802]

ni glömde frikortet på högkostnadsskyddet inom vården ? förstod det som att ni bara pratade om apoteket :)

[@queenjeski591]

det är lätt att glömma/inte veta om ifall man inte behöver söka läkarvård mer än någon gång per år!

[@demolazer]

I've been so well looked after by the national health service here in the UK. I've got a chronic neurological condition and I've had all sorts of advanced treatment at no cost to me. Amazing. However, due to underfunding and mismanagement in this last decade, it's currently falling apart.

[@peterjaro6804]

Yes, it's all basically correct but you don't talk about why it's so expensive to end up in a US hospital compared with a Swedish for the same issue. Well, it has to do with what a hospital NEED to do in the US. If you end up in hospital in Sweden for your eardrum issue, they will deal with that AND give you a cancer screening. The same thing in the US, the hospital must screen you for almost everything, because if they missed something they can be taken to court by you... So you ended up in a US hospital for your eardrum. Check your discharge papers and you will see that you were screened for loads of things, and each test was paid for by your insurance (and you). This is why a simple Aspirin (a single tablet) can cost US$8 if it is given to you in your hospital bed, while you can buy a whole package for $2 in WalMart. In Sweden you are just checked and treated for why you are there + cancer screening. ...so I am not defending the US system (being Swedish I love the Swedish system) but if you had a small hole in your heart since you were a child, that would have been detected in a US hospital (even if you were there for an ear drum) but in a Swedish hospital they would not have been looking for something unrelated to your eardrum. This makes the US system EXTREMELY expensive, whoever is paying (insurance, yourself and usually a combination) but there is a reason for the high price in the States.

[@Gripengamer]

Many illnesses are not looked into further in Sweden precisely because it would Cost, and take up too much time in the welfare system. I can imagine the extra screening happening in the US but definitely not Sweden.

[@aaopopanda9205]

I cant believe you have to pay for healthcare in the us its completely shocking to me. Back in 2018 my bone in my foot got infected and i spent 34 days in the hospital (and yes it was a 40min wait which is alot but is worth it) with a drip 24/7 an MRI scan and 4 ultrasounds. After that I had physiotherapy to learn how to walk on my food again for 9 months and was given a wheel chair, crutches and antibiotics. All this cost me £0.00 and I whould be shocked to know how much that would cost in the US. Universal healthcare is amazing and I know in many other European countries all this would be very cheap or even free. In the us all these treatments would easily cost over $1,000,000 or probably more without insurance.

[@lucthin6245]

I love you guys do your best to be unbiased in presenting facts.Thank you for that.

[@EvanThomas]

thank you for watching :)

[@sambass827]

Medical 🏥 in the USA is extremely expensive. I have to pay about $500 USD for insurance a month just to maintain it and $2,500 deductible/year in top of my monthly expense. Another year I paid $50 a month with a deductible of $7,500/year. So I definitely want to move to Sweden 🇸🇪. Specially once I get older. One thing I’m curious is one thing..... in the USA Im treated like a number and the better insurance I have the more the doctors usually want to charge me by doing not necessary test etc just to charge more to my insurance. So my question is that in Sweden treat you more as a human being and not a number ?

[@thisismylife6117]

Great video, but you forgot to mention that the USA has Medicaid, which helps people (with no income or low income) to get free health insurance. They don't have to pay for anything at all. Not even an ambulance , stay at the hospital, or a surgery. It's covered by the Medicaid one hundred percent. You just have to be eligible for it and apply obviously. They even cover dental work, but not all dental work. But regular check ups and stuff like that. Just wanted to inform you

[@Commonsenseisnotcommon8]

I don’t even know where to begin, I don’t know where you’re getting your facts, but a lot of stuff you just stated is completely false. Completely! Don’t believe what you read

[@phyllissecraw7891]

As a nurse working with kids, I can confirm this program does exist in the US. It has requirements that have to be met and families have to apply. If approved, the young person does have full medical coverage and do not get a bill for medical services.

[@geddon436]

good luck finding doctors that actually ACCEPT medicaid!!!! Oh, if your pain, then you have to search even MORE doctors for pain.

[@geddon436]

Medicaid is a F&^^%ING joke for someone states!!

[@ugaais]

@@Commonsenseisnotcommon8no the poster is correct

[@mudslinger888]

It’s hard to say? Uhh Sweden is by far more affordable! Also I wait 3-4 months just to see any of the doctors in CO. Healthcare and profit do not mix! i’m 14 years still waiting for a correct diagnosis of my condition, but there is no funding since they don’t see the profit..

[@StaffanSwede]

I'd rather refer to the Swedish system as a welfare system than a socialist system. Besides, a lot has been privatized over the last decades, the pharmacies to give an example.

[@macrumpton]

The problem is in the US welfare is almost as demonized as socialism. If you google welfare state, virtually all the references from the US are how horrible the idea of a welfare state is.

[@Amoth_oth_ras_shash]

ye and it also shows in degraded Quality where one atempted to replace public run services with bought in private ones for tax money :/ ..private options and free market all day ,but its worthless without a public safty net.

[@Sweden-wd5lg]

Sweden is a socialist country..

[@DNA350ppm]

An American, and very charming professor came to Lund University and lectured on the difference between the USA and Sweden, and all the time she referred to Sweden as socialist. After almost an hour of this, I got so sick of the skewed vocabular, and the polite silence of the audience, that I ventured to object - Sweden is not called socialist, here we call the Swedish society "democratic"! What do you call the USA then, she said, rather bewildered. I replied: "Not democratic, but capitalistic!" and nobody of some 100 listeners objected. To us "welfare" is the same as "välfärd" (same word really) and that includes each and everyone here, whereas 'welfare' in the USA seems to be living on individually granted "bidrag" - allowances from your municipality to secure that you survive on a minimum living standard, which you here in some cases get for free, in others get as a loan to pay back when capable. We can't even get the vocabulary understandable for each other's way of thinking and living, it seems. What is the scientific ground for the term "socialist" for you, Evan, or for Americans in general? Here the definition is that in socialism the (federal) state owns all and every means of production and also that private ownership of any kind to earn an income is forbidden (such as shops, farms, land, forests, fisheries, factories, businesses of any kind, if not extremely small and insignificant, and without employees). What do you think, Julia: is it easy to talk about Sweden with Americans?

[@Amoth_oth_ras_shash]

@@DNA350ppm hmm , while i agree with most of that is socialism realy a word for when the federal state owns all , and private ventures are forbiden ? last i read on it that was communism and socialism while in the same 'school' where the thought that actively thinks that is going to far...and that sure , public matters should be publicly funded and for all ,schools , fire department , health care , police , military , social secuirty etc aka...welfare morals ,but still with full fredom for anyone to decide ther own area of work etc or have that changed ? of course referring to swedish society as a welfare model is just as apt one ,but curious since I bumped into plenty of people on the web wich appears to have a problem separating those things from dictator communism :/ wich makes one a bit grumpy on all Scandinavians behalfs. you get my salute though for showing some viking backbone when most others in the lecture took that scandinavian politeness a bit to far it sounds like! ^^ welfare for the people! healthy smart people can make a better society and make the most out of limited natural resources!

[@katerinejonhson4416]

You have to choose what you want but you can have it all. I think I kind of understanding why in USA health care is so expensive compare to other countries it’s because availability and technology. All these countries have universal insurance but don’t have the quality and technology of Usa.For example, in Canada and UK you have to wait for months to see an specialist something not very common here in the state. Nordics countries have a very homogeneous society let see if the the influx of immigrants and people on welfare system health system changed. At end you have to choose what you want both of them works well

[@timothymiller5425]

Also you have to remember that in the US every state is different and every job offers different insurance amounts. Taxes also vary state to state.

[@prathameshpatil0810]

This is great! You guys are doing a great job!! I’m a student from India and will be applying for studies in Sweden next year!! Your videos help a lot! Thankyouuu

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching!

[@Filipurelindmusic]

Once again!!! Perfect, love the honesty, the facts, and the topics you are talking about! Swedens Universal Healthsystem for sure!!

[@robhobsweden]

Remember, you are not always protected by the system in Sweden. For instance, Peyronie's disease treatment is not subsidised at all, and I'm certain that goes for other illnesses too, that are deemed to be a "luxury" treatment. Therefore, it's good to have a private insurance that cover those things, if it ever will happen to you. Also, from what I've understood, the high prices in the US healthcare is not solely due to the private sector, the reason is also that you can sue for almost everything, and therefore the doctors have to scan for almost everything, even if it's not related to the current illess. There are other countries that depend on private insurances as well, but still the cost for the individual bills ater fairly low. I don't know if you - or anyone else - can confirm this?

[@tomcase2837]

If we ever do get universal Healthcare here in the states, it's doubtful that it could ever come close to the high standards of yours in Sweden. What I am wondering about is that you mentioned immunizations a couple times... are they mandatory?

[@lindalidstrom9639]

No its optional

[@EvanThomas]

not mandatory

[@bryndrson8289]

This is not even remotely true. The US currently spends more on health care per person than any other country in the world. Our Doctors and Medical staff are amongst the best in the world. The problem with US healthcare is logistics, administration, and big pharma.

[@P.normal]

You don’t mention that you have to fight to get a doctors appointment in Sweden . It is not easy! And if you get a referral to specialist or surgery you can easily wait several months or up to a year.

[@jeSuisbar]

Same in the US. I had severe insomnia. After bloodwork came back negative. They referred me to a psychiatrist . But I knew my insomnia is neurological so I went to a neurologist, and he keep insisting to visit a psychiatrist. Keep in mind, a psychiatrist will charge $200 per session for something you dont have. My brother was sent to a cardiac specialist because they saw an "abnormal heartbeat". Guess what, he came back negative. Now, we are in debt over $2,000 for misdiagnosis. Believe, the number of misdiagnosis is pretty high in America.

[@Aussiegirl1972]

Australian Healthcare System is very good too.

[@Stefanburakov]

Could be but police took a woman to prison becourse she protested vs corona lockdown so I will stay away from this kind of countrys

[@annakoch9972]

Its different from all the region (landsting) in Sweden but you also get aid like wheelchair, hearing aid, and things for your shoes, knees and help like training and rehab after injury or preexisting injury, treatment and help with ADHD, CP and so on. For a child its free, for an adult its reduced costing. (I needed protection for my carpaltunnel syndrome, many years ago, just paid like $30-40, in Sweden) A child with ADHD and sleeping issues gets a weight blanket, no costs (a small deposit in some areas) . Digital help with the memory and structure, training and so on.

[@raq1205]

i had family members who got covid pretty bad -- definitely needed medical attention, and we waited a few days to go to the hospital because we weren't sure if the closest hospital nearby was in the insurance network,,, turns out it is so it'll probably only end up costing around $5,000. not having socialized healthcare is one thing, but privatizing and profiting off these ridiculous prices at the cost of human lives is just evil, and that's what the united states incentivizes.

[@Asa...S]

"only end up costing around $5,000..." To me it´s just hard to imagine such high costs. If I were American I would be so scared to lose my job, since the health insureance seems to be connected to your workplace, and so afraid to get sick. Hope your family members are well now, from covid.

[@jsvensson8234]

I'm so sorry you had to do through that. I hope your family members recovered and that those costs didn't jeopardize your financial security in any way. Breaks my heart to hear this kind of stuff. It just feels so inhumane. ❤

[@liberoAquila]

The problem is not private hospitals it's that they run a mock, they should be regulated like utility companies.

[@Asa...S]

As a Swede, I´m surprised about the ride in the helicopter ambulance costing you 130 USD, I didn´t know about this. Do you have a source (I´m not saying that you´re wrong, or questioning this, I¨m just curious, since I never heard of this cost).

[@queenjeski591]

man får alltid betala för både ambulans och ambulanshelikopter! tror detta dels beror på att man inte ska ringa 112 och be om ambulans om man typ bara har stukat foten eller råkat skära sig i fingertoppen litegranna.

[@attesmatte]

Här (Jämtland) kostar en ambulans 300 kr. (Täcks inte av högkostnadsskyddet.) Och jag tror inte att helikoptern kostar mer än en vanlig ambulans. 🤔

[@volvodashcam]

For me living in Gävleborg County the cost for ambulance or airlift is only 200kr. (About $24). One day in the hospital is 100kr and all those cost are counted to a max cost of 1150kr per 12 month period, Meaning that if you have to pay 1150kr for any of those things (and more) within a year you will get the rest of the 12 month period free of charge.

[@volvodashcam]

@@attesmatte I Gävleborg ingår ambulanstrasport i högkostnadsskyddet. Märkligt att det är så olika. Kostar 200kr här.

[@jsvensson8234]

Har åkt ambulans två ggr i mitt liv (en gång i Skåne och en gång i Stockholm) samt "ambulansskoter" en gång i fjällen vid en snowboardolycka. Aldrig betalat extra för det. Försökte också finna fram vad ambulansavgiften är i Lund där jag bor och fann ingen info om det så det är nog ingen patientavgift för detta. Läste att ambulansavgift varit uppe på förslag i landstinget här för ett par år sedan, men verkar inte ha gått igenom politiskt. Alltså skiljer detta från region till region.

[@neahagglund4377]

If you have your own insurance you get about 250 sek per day if you are hospitalised. I don't remember I had to pay anything more then 200sek when I had to go to hospital with an ambulance. I got a bloodvein scan of my head done and had to sleep threre over night for check up. But I ended "earning" 50sek from my own insurance. (But would rather have spend that friday at home ofc.)

[@pansarkraft]

Socialised medicin, not socialist medicin. Socialised medicin is a function in a capitalist welfare state. Also, the day rate at Hospital is really renumeration for food during your stay, supposedly equal to the cost you would have spent at home for food. This is in part of the view of equalising costs to all people, regardless of income, through subsidies and grants so everyone is on a somewhat level playing field. If you were on public assistance, the hospital fees and other healthcare costs would be reimbursed to you. Also, the fees, while low, are meant to deter from frivolous use or abuse of the health care system, they are in no way near the actual costs of what a Dr. visit or healthcare intervention actually costs or are billed to you local municipality. The most interesting thing in the debate on socialised healthcare is in the view on how we should care for people in society. The debate in Sweden is that I pay taxes to insure my neighbours daughter has access to unfettered healthcare incase of unexpected health issues, and in the US it is, I paid for mine, you pay for yours. Too bad about your daughter, try go fund me.

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching and for the detailed comment :) please subscribe to see more

[@tarik6990]

Those who think the US can learn Sweden and not the other way around should read the latest article on American healthcare in Ars Technica. Here's a short quote from the article: "Compared with other high-income peers, the US has the shortest life expectancy at birth, the highest rate of avoidable deaths, the highest rate of newborn deaths, the highest rate of maternal deaths, the highest rate of adults with multiple chronic conditions, and the highest rate of obesity, the new analysis found."

[@TurdBoi-tf5lf]

@@magwenthejuggler4325 sure buddy

[@jobilden9823]

I am an American living in Sweden. A Swedish friend had to visit a hospital while in the US. He met with a specialist, got an x-ray and was given a sedative (he did not understand why the sedative). He was there for about 20 minutes in total. His insurance company paid the bill, which was for 27000 USD, which is approximately 250 000 SEK. It's highway robbery and an extremely corrupt system and it is the rich and powerful keeping it that way.

[@LRRPFco52]

$27,000 for X-rays? Yeah, no. I got that and more including CT Scan. 3 hours stay after a car accident. The driver who hit us had his insurance pay for it.

[@VargenTuck]

My hospital bill for 2 days in hospital and one visit at emergency was 30$ in total. Ever since then I have to take medication that cost 40$ for one jar of pills, but I have to pay only 38kr (aprx 4$) and at moust I have to take 1 jar every 10 days witch would be very costly if I had to pay for it by myself.

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

My brother broke his foot clean off in a motorcycle accident and he had more money in his pocket coming out than when he went in.

[@trollwaffen1248]

One thing people don’t realize though is the Swedish healthcare and NHS are collapsing because of the freeloaders they decided to bring in the last 10 years.

[@himfromscandinavian5354]

In the last 30 years*

[@rlghee1320]

I can go to the dermatologist the first time and not have had to go the other appointments at all or wasted my time ALSO everyone goes to the dentist just for a minimum cleaning and checked up every 6 months, twice per year more if you have a cavity or something. I pay for my dental insurance about $30 per month taken out of my pay check for private dental insurance.

[@prodesu8607]

Our system in Sweden is far from perfect, but it's better than most systems.

[@silphaatrata]

The arrogance in Sweden is the main issue why we have our problems. The mentality that "let them talk, we know we are right as Swedes" is so tiresome.

[@lmao2351]

@@silphaatrata what are you talking about?

[@silphaatrata]

​@@lmao2351 What are you asking?

[@lmao2351]

@@silphaatrata your comment made no sence

[@silphaatrata]

@@lmao2351 What are you asking?

[@johannas.l.brushane2518]

In addition a lot of employers also have in their agreements that you can have part of the cost for visits to doctor appointments and part of the cost for prescribed medicin paid for.

[@thomasking2021]

The US needs to go to a universal healthcare system. To help pay for it, the US should stop subsidizing defense costs for S Korea, Japan, Europe, Middle East etc. end foreign aid hand outs and last, pay UN dues in line with the rest of the membership. A huge step towards funding healthcare in the US. Absolutely agree Evan. The growing inequality gap is largely to blame on our crap healthcare system in America. Good video. P.s. Julia, your hairstyle looks great.

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching Thomas :) please subscribe to see more

[@juliarosen4394]

Thank you Thomas!

[@magnusdustler1490]

Honestly, the US without universal healthcare spend more government money per capita on medical costs than any other developed country WITH universal healthcare. The problem with the US system is not primarily that it's not universal, it's that it is a weird kind of mixture between open market and government controll. For example, the US government decides the reimbursements hospitals receive by providing various kinds of treatments. Even without the problem of lobbyists doing everything to keep the reimbursements high, the problem is that this is not based on outcome. Hospitals thus have an incentive to do lots of more or less unneccesary procedures, as the insurance companies are bliged to pay for them. As US government healthcare (Medicare and Medicaid and all veterans having military healthcare) have to pay the same extremely high costs, the effective cost that government pays for from taxes is very high, but gets little bang for the buck, so to speak. It is entirely possible that a differently regulated system without universal healthcare could work quite well, but the US system is locked in a strange middle ground that basically gets it the worst of both worlds. If a Swedish (or UK) style universal healthcare system could be erected in the US now, it would be a huge saving for the government, though the insurance companies and private hospitals would go out of business. The buildup face would be brutal.

[@TalesOfWar]

No. They should simply spend the money they do spend, better. They spend more per person than any other industrialised nation because all the private companies set the pricing. If they introduced universal coverage then the government itself can set the pricing, and at the very least demand lower prices because they'll be the single biggest buyer. This is how it works everywhere else. It's CHEAPER to buy drugs from CANADA than in the US, drugs that COME FROM the US. Let that sink in. It's cheaper to buy through a middleman (Canada in this case) than direct from the drug companies. That's crazy! When you're buying stuff for the entire nation, you get better prices because it's all in bulk. Having said that, it really should't be run to make profit. If it does, great, but invest it back in the system. Things like infrastructure, health and social programmes should always be based on the understanding that it directly isn't necessarily making money, but it enables the economy as a whole to make more. It's easier to tax people when they're not coughing up blood or in a casket 6ft under.

[@andersmalmgren6528]

I'm having a health problem for over a year now, even with a private insurance (they don't mean much in sweden, you basicly get to see a specialist quicker) it's slow. They still haven't found out what's wrong with me. Something is wrong with investigative healthcare in this country.

[@MultiCuprum]

When this happend it is normal a very rare illness

[@andersmalmgren6528]

@@MultiCuprum I've heard similar experiences from ALS to cancer. Very serious when not found early. People are dying because of the "ingen ska med" mentality of Swedish wellfare

[@magnusdustler1490]

I feel sorry for you. If it's any help, waiting times in Sweden can be long, but they aren't that long compared to most other countries. It's just that we are caught in our own healthcare system and don't see what happens elsewhere. The thing that is wrong, is the amount of paperwork required by the doctors. Almost everywhere else, such administrative tasks are handled by specialized medical secretaries. But in Sweden doctors do them themselves at 2-3 times the cost per hour. And it probably takes twice the time.

[@mickeygarcia1876]

The U.S.A Has Had Socialism For The Rich Since It Was Founded. It's High Time We Had Socialism For Poor People. Low Cost Medical Care Is A Human Right!!!

[@Zack-rc3dt]

So you really think that public healthcare is socialism?

[@mickeygarcia1876]

@@Zack-rc3dt Socialism Is Social Welfare Necessary For A Civilized Society.

[@Zack-rc3dt]

@@mickeygarcia1876 No that’s a social democracy. Socialism is when the means of production is collectively owned. What you mean, which is a tax financed social security net, is social democracy which we have in Sweden where I’m from. Social democracy is basically capitalism but with high taxes that’s redistributed on the society.

[@mickeygarcia1876]

@@Zack-rc3dt Nonsense!!! You're Just Using The Word 'Socialism' To Create Alarm, Fear And Revulsion.

[@Zack-rc3dt]

@@mickeygarcia1876 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism Just read the first sentence and you’ll be surprised by your ignorance.

[@allaround200]

In America we have a open enrollment period for about a month and half which is ridiculous in and of itself. I have individual insurance for me and my son and it’s just went up again costing me a outrageous $705 usd a MONTH!! I am currently trying to get state assistance with healthcare, but almost feels impossible because it is so complicated. My state has a agency that supposed to help lower income people and they told me I have to cancel my current insurance in order to apply. This would leave me without insurance for a couple weeks maybe a month! Everything said the American healthcare system is broken and dysfunctional

[@accessdenied3350]

Captialism hasn't faired very well...mixed is better, taking best of both socialism and capitalism

[@dyrectory_com]

Yin and Yang... ☯ 🏥

[@davidjosue6959]

Correct, which is why in Australia, we have free health care and private, you can have both.

[@accessdenied3350]

@@davidjosue6959 thank goodness I live in Brisbane 😁

[@Zack-rc3dt]

Except that paying high taxes is not the equivilance of socialism.

[@maadhujovi9528]

@@davidjosue6959 are goverment run comparable to prvt sector

[@staciem.9715]

What i find interesting about the Americans complaint about having to pay taxes for health care, but Medicaid and Medicare is tax paid insurance for those over 65 or anyone who is disabled, but people forget that they are paying that in their taxes so how is it different to make programs like that for everyone since we are all paying for that program.

[@thelatestversionofthetruth8322]

Like in Finland, almost all tax funded.

[@prodesu8607]

The problem about American culture is that so many Americans believe they're budding millionaires or that their average American Healthcare is better than the Healthcare in say Sweden, this perpetuates an image that "hey Im in the top 20 percent of earners so at least for me I'm better off in this system". Reality is you're likely not receiving better Healthcare unless you're in the like top 10 percent or you're in the area of a renown hospital and even then when it comes to specialist care that is very individual from country to country and state to state so depending on your illness you'll receive better care in areas of Sweden or areas of the US. Even the best hospitals in the US don't have the best specialists in every area of Healthcare. My dad for instance had to have his colon removed and ended up being one of the first people in the world to go through with this lifesaving surgery, he was extremely lucky that this hospital in Northern Sweden was specialized and innovative within this field. This is one of the many reasons quality of Healthcare is so difficult to put into context.

[@tommyx777]

The ski accident will cost you in the US from 25- to life in prison... 🤣

[@akgolfpro]

Life expectancy and other stats I think are tied more to what the FDA (nutrition), FCC (marketing), DoE (Education), DoT (excessive use of vehicles) and other agencies encourage/allow which culminate to make a generally overall less healthy culture. The states that make-up the lack of Federal oversight tend to be more politcally aligned with Sweden, and some such as my own (WA) have introduced a public option and other initivates and resources geared toward overall wellness. I'd be interested to see the comparison of Sweden to a Blue state of approximately equal population. Suggestions: WA, MA, NJ. In this context it's probably not so grimm for the USA. My conclusion in catagorigal comparisons is that Sweden is a better place to be average or below, while the USA is better to be in the Top 25%, although that percentage is shrinking. If you have a stable job with a good salary, benefits and vacation plan and you live in a good state, the US is a great place to live. For all those in Distrcts 2 - 13, see ya at the Hunger Games!

[@Brissebrajan]

Americans need to realize that USA is a "socialist country", police, fire departments, schools (public) government, the army etc etc, are all funded by taxation in the same way most of the other nations in europe, not just Sweden. UK's health care system is just the same as in Sweden and other nations. So why not fund the health care in the same way?

[@gollese]

Their army budget is brutal, imagine 1/4 of that to health care would cover alot. If not less, im no superman with numbers :D

[@paulgray7104]

What makes a country lean socialism is when the government is in charge of production and property. Every country in the world has aspects of socialism and capitalism. And the reason why people are hesitant for socialism...... Ask a police officer, firefighter, teacher or someone in the military if they are happy with their pay or the way things are run...... I just completed 20 years in the military and I can tell you that our pay is a joke compared to the job that we do. The large majority of those people are very underpaid. The simple fact is that when the US government is in charge of something it is not ran with efficiency.

[@h.becker2129]

Of all these things, I would only describe the public schools as originally socialist. Why? Well, for the other things EVERYONE gets a well-defined consideration, while for example schools, public swimming pools, socialist health care only get SOME something in return

[@ugaais]

Non of what you described is socialism

[@Brissebrajan]

@@ugaais That depends on what type of socialism you compare it to. Marxist or modern system in use today with open markets, but the basic social functions like infrastructure, healthcare, police, school etc being funded by taxation, instead of private insurence. Modern socialism like what we have here in Sweden is just like the socialist system used in USA, except when it comes to healthcare. Socialism is not communism. Socialism have a bad tast for many, but in the end most western nations have socialistic systems in place to fund and operate the basic social functions in their societies. Call it what ever you like, but its still socialism.

[@Shiftry87]

I remember i was in a bad dirt bike accident during practice while i was in highschool and i broke my leg in 2 places and the private health insurance that my dad hade taken out on my sister and me came very well in hand. Apparently he hade customized the terms of the insurance so that anything and everything was covered. Even the protective equipment like the pants and the boots that the hospital hade to cut off was covered in the deal (they tried to get out of paying that for sure) I spend 5-6 days in the hospital and for aslong as i hade the leg in a casket (about 7 weeks) the insurance company even hade to pay for my transport to and from school with the use of a Cab (Taxi). We lived way outside of the city so about 80-90$/day. It sucked to get around even with ppl holding doors open and carrying your stuff but having a private car instead of that bus ride was awesome.

[@IsaGirlGamer]

No ofense but the US isn't a country I would like to live in 🙄

[@tomcase2837]

I'm here in US, wish I could leave

[@user-sf5iq2fl1l]

I would love to visit, its good to make money, but if you get sick you lose everything...Living in the U.S. is like playing forex with 200 leverage

[@robedmund9948]

So, can an American (or Canadian, or Russian, etc.) citizen simply move to Sweden and gain all the benefits of a naturally born citizen? Part of the reason the US healthcare system is so expensive is that it takes care of non-citizens for no cost to the person. That cost is passed along. Given that the US has 335+ citizens versus Sweden's 10.5+ million citizens huge discrepancies become an issue. Also, what is the payrate for doctors in Sweden versus the payrate for doctors in the US?

[@jsvensson8234]

For those thinking the US can't afford Universal Healthcare, that is complete and total Bull****. Health care spending is not the problem in the US. The US outspends every country in the world, per capita, by insane amounts. So y'all should be getting everything we get over here in Sweden, and then some, at no extra charge. Money isn't the issue in this case. There are other forces at play. Other forces indeed...

[@quezcatol]

im swedish, my dad had to wait a year for knee surgery and my grandma here died without getting cancer surgery so yeah, I dont have much faith into our system either.

[@solstickan]

On the flipside, I've gotten all the help I needed, both during Covid which gave me 2 weeks in the hospital and some years earlier when I got admitted for 4 weeks and spent 10 days of those in the ICU + frequent check ups to keep tabs on my condition after that.... so you cant really say "the entire system sucks"

[@quezcatol]

@@solstickan wait for uneccesary surgery

[@ceicli]

A good description of the Swedish system. :) About dental care, they introduced a step system so the more care you need, the more discount you get. It's still quite costly though if you have bad teeth. About medicine cost, if the prescribed med is on the discount list it can be bought within the capped fee. Some need other meds and have to pay the full amount. Not so many have to do that. The basic health care system still works, but it's getting worse. I'm in the psychiatric care right now and it's at a standstill. Nothing has happened in years even if I try to push them. Lately (probably because of Covid) my sick leave fell through. Not a good combination with depression....

[@channelfortheeveryman3139]

I’m going to stand out a bit with this comment. Swedish/American here. I have used both systems a lot and the care I get in the United States is so much better, it’s not even funny. The regular doctor’s visits in Sweden are a joke-they do no preventative checks (BP, RHR, height/weight), and if you have anything outside of the ordinary, you basically have to beg them for something an American doctor will immediately suggest. You guys are real professional, but you skimmed over the wait times issue: waiting 4-6 months for something you might get in 4-6 days in the US is a big deal. I have personal experience with that myself. The prices in the US suck. They’re criminal, in fact. Anyone in the middle class and up though are going to get better service in the US than in Swe.

[@satyamsingh-gy3lg]

I have been in Sweden for 6 months now. The healthcare system is fucked up here. Doctors and nurses try their best to send you back without any inspection

[@TurdBoi-tf5lf]

bsdk. india sabse ghatiya desh h

[@matiaskuroki3586]

Not sure you mentioned it, but another interesting statistics to look at is health care expenditure per capita: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_total_health_expenditure_per_capita The US 'outperforms' every other country, ~80% more than Sweden. Not reflected in the level of public health, apparently.

[@magnusdustler1490]

Great graph. From it you can also see that the public expenditure in the US is higher than the public expenditure in Sweden (and almost every other country as well).

[@juliancabrera7975]

Love the content guys!! I was wondering if you could ever make a video explaining the work life in Sweden or Scandinavia.. especially from evans point of view being American and not a native speaker to Swedish. My goal is move to Scandinavia someday and work but I have always been curious to the work life and language barrier. Thanks guy and keep up the good work!

[@emmanordin5050]

Stephan Thyron has covered this a lot 😊

[@EvanThomas]

That's a good idea, we'll add this to the list of videos to make!

[@niklasdahlstrom2985]

I would say that 90% (give or take) of the population in sweden speaks english... So to work here and speak english should not be a huge problem.

[@annalarsson5077]

My foreign tenants use to complain over the lack of opportunity to speak swedish as almost everybody speaks english very well.

[@scottysscandinavia5793]

@@niklasdahlstrom2985 Niklas is right. There is over 90% English literacy in Sweden. And higher amongst younger people brought up on the internet (that is mostly English). It used to be an advantage to be an English speaking white foreigner in Sweden, but since the mass immigration of the past decade or so, you can start to bump up against increasing resentment. Though, if you're white and English speaking, you should still be okay. I end up in so many conversations nowadays that drift towards 'the bloody foreigners' where, after a few minutes of listening to the rant, I have to stop them and remind them that I am actually a bloody foreigner too.

[@michalziobro7890]

In Poland we spend just 5% of gdp on public Health care system, and 1.5% of gdp on private doctors just to get referee to public hospital, and it nearly works

[@michalziobro7890]

I’ve heard that Czech Republic 🇨🇿 has very good and cheap health care system

[@LindaHarward]

1. How can the costs be so cheap? Does the government pay for 99% of it? Where does the government get the money? The VAT tax? Income taxes? Or other/Different taxes? 2. Why would anyone need private insurance if your public healthcare is so good? What can private insurance do for you that public can’t? Are certain “elective” surgeries not covered under the public system? 3. The American system is broken and very expensive. We pay so much for insurance, it costs just as much as paying high taxes for universal care. 4. Who runs the health care system in Sweden? The government? Doctors? A panel of experts? DO THEY PRACTICE MEDICINE as they do in the US, as the determine what will and won’t get covered? Is healthcare in Sweden rationed, with the elderly being denied care that younger people get? An example here in the US: I knew a man who was in his 80s . He was diabetic and terminal. While in hospice care he developed excruciating pain in his leg. The doctors gave him 3 options. Do nothing but palliative care, Amputate the leg or have full on surgery. He chose the surgical option and Medicare paid for it. It was over $100,000. Two weeks after the surgery he died. Now you know why Medicare is going broke. How would that situation have been handled in Sweden?

[@lloydmolander4916]

I loved the way you described this - I will share with my University class:) Tak

[@EvanThomas]

thanks for watching :)

[@Iss3n]

You forgot theres a max for paying the doctors visits as well per year. One for medicine and one for the visits. Plus even though like you say there are some costs for healthcare and dental care in Sweden. If you cannot afford it Socialtjänsten can help and pay for it which is also nice.

[@lifeinuppsala]

Swedish medical services are very bad , GP fails to diagnosis disease most of times . Sometimes they take 4/5 years to diagnosis a disease. Long queue , you need to wait 3/4 months for a CT scan

[@abbasessi]

In sweden the waiting queue is long which can disappoint and leave the patient unresponsive and apathetic and it could cause the illness or any other suspicious that are bad for body worse thats why for the amount of the taxes pepole pay in sweden certainly there should improvement in that context by government

[@bbmw9029]

You talk about the consumer/patient facing side of heath in both countries, which makes sense from your perspective (not being in the medical profession I assume.) But those patient payments are not floating even a small percentage of the total costs. I assume the government is paying the rest out of general or specialized taxes. You should go over how the government pays for health care, who pays the taxes and how much, and how the either local and/or national governments control costs.

[@TalesOfWar]

That's the point though. You as the patient shouldn't have to worry or even care about that. You work, pay your taxes and the state looks after you when you're in need. Places with universal care have tighter controls on the costs because they can demand things at or close to cost rather than the crazily inflated prices you see in the US. Also as a nation state they have the legal power to simply produce their own generic drugs if needed, seeing as they're the same entity that controls things like patents in that jurisdiction. So drug companies play ball knowing it's better to make a small profit than risk making zero and their patents being rendered useless.

[@DevilJin01]

This is basically true, humanitarian healthcare. The health of your body is not a commodity or luxury in Sweden. The US has no idea where to allocate the capital it creates. It's just insane.

[@ugaais]

Defending the world for one and aid….we allow you to exist

[@MegaPixla]

at 2:22 where is the map of the border soviet union, there is mistake Czechoslovakia and part of Germany was part of the soviet union as well

[@Why-D]

This is different to UK, the Netherlands or Germany, but also affordable.

[@Mialamorena1]

What difference does it make if the US has the best care if nobody can afford to access it?

[@volvodashcam]

But do they really have the beat care? I think many european countries actually have a more advance helthcare. (if you are talking of what's in reach for the "normal" citizens.)

[@marisabel5500]

Tooth healthcare is not expensive?? Here in Sweden people usually prefer to go to Poland or Hungary and have cheaper/equally good toothcare before ever paying several thousands here. It's insane. Maybe compared with the US its cheaper, but compared to many other countries, it's insanely expensive.

[@MrXamdax]

Is it, really? It is more expensive than other health care, but you only have to pay everything up to 3000 SEK (approx. 365 USD), between 3000 and 15000 SEK (365-1820 USD) you pay 50% and if the cost is higher, you pay 15% of the actual cost. And in addition you get 300-600 SEK every year (depending on age) to cover initial costs every year and if you are 23 years old or younger, you pay absolutely nothing for dental care. Sure, it would be nice if the dental health care was included in the public health care (which has a roof of 1150 SEK per year, which is 140 USD, which is all you actually pay per year, plus prescribed medicine which can amount to a maximum of 2350 SEK, or 285 USD, per year), but it is stil not that expensive.

[@vipervickan]

This is a informative video for the people scared or "socialist medicine" or a functioning welfare system. We have our problems in Sweden but you can always get medicine and healthcare when you need, even if you are without a job or whatever. And that's worth a lot for society.