# 629 Dollar Band Aid Bill After An ER Visit For A Pinky Cut.



## WhatInThe (May 13, 2016)

A man took his daughter to the hospital for pinky cut. After five minutes and a band aid a bill including a charge for a 629 dollar band aid came in the mail. After a $622 emergency room and doctor bill.

http://www.vox.com/2016/5/13/11606760/emergency-facility-fees-american-health-care

The usual arguments and rationalizations by the medical industry. If there are cost other than the ER and doctor then put them on the bill in detail. The cost issues involved with the medical industry in the US will never be corrected if one doesn't even know where the actual costs are. Anything else should be fraud.


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## Ruthanne (May 13, 2016)

That's an awful lot for a bill to the ER but that's what they are charging now.


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## tnthomas (May 13, 2016)

Visiting the ER shouldn't be a person's primary recourse for  minor healthcare issues.  There are too many people in the U.S. that have _too crappy _healthcare, hence the need for ACA.


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## SeaBreeze (May 13, 2016)

I think Universal Healthcare or Single Payer is the best way to go for the US.  I think Sanders wants Medicare for all, wish he had a chance to make it to the nomination, I'd vote for him.


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## Kitties (May 13, 2016)

SeaBreeze said:


> I think Universal Healthcare or Single Payer is the best way to go for the US.  I think Sanders wants Medicare for all, wish he had a chance to make it to the nomination, I'd vote for him.



I'm certainly with you on the single payer. What we have is a nightmare.


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## Buckeye (May 13, 2016)

If you take your daughter to the ER for a little knick on her finger, you should expect to pay whatever they charge.  While the doctor was wasting his/her time putting a band aid on the little girls finger he could have been treating a patient that really needed a doctor.  Geeeez.


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## WhatInThe (May 13, 2016)

Hoot N Annie said:


> If you take your daughter to the ER for a little knick on her finger, you should expect to pay whatever they charge.  While the doctor was wasting his/her time putting a band aid on the little girls finger he could have been treating a patient that really needed a doctor.  Geeeez.



Without the band aid the hospital still would've made $622 for less than 10 minutes work, more probably went into administrative paper work and billing than medical care.. Granted the dad was over protective about his snowflake and probably didn't even realize he could've gone to an urgent care or clinic. Costs are high but patients and providers have been brainwashed and programmed in the insurance based medical care system. If the providers don't want a single payer system it be to their benefit to be more honest with the cost. If the ER visit should be a couple hundred dollars more then raise it. Don't try to disguise or recoup the cost else where-full disclosure.


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## Butterfly (May 14, 2016)

We most definitely DO need single payer health care and more transparent fees.  It is almost impossible to get an answer when you ask ahead of time "what will this cost?"


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## Laurie (May 14, 2016)

" made $622 for less than 10 minutes work, "

You are not paying for the medical staffs' time but their qualifications.  They have all worked damned hard to get  where they are and they deserve their reward.

"The labourer is worthy of his hire" 1 Timothy 5:18


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## jnos (May 14, 2016)

It doesn't surprise me.

I'm all for single payer healthcare--essentially, Medicaid for all.

Just talked to an employee at a dental clinic (a franchise one--what next?). Employees are told that if the patient is Medicaid their service is lessened. They try to rush them through, without the usual extra attention other patients receive. 

In this area of many well-to-do, there are many specialist physicians who refuse to even see anyone on Medicaid.

Those examples are an issue of greedy doctors/hospitals, not unlike greedy drug companies.


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## mitchezz (May 14, 2016)

I'm in shock. Earlier this year I had an ambulance ride to the ER, 3 days in ICU and all up 3 weeks in hospital. Had 3 follow up visits from a nurse in my home and never paid a cent. I'd be too scared to catch a cold if I lived in the USA.


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## Ruthanne (May 14, 2016)

mitchezz said:


> I'm in shock. Earlier this year I had an ambulance ride to the ER, 3 days in ICU and all up 3 weeks in hospital. Had 3 follow up visits from a nurse in my home and never paid a cent. I'd be too scared to catch a cold if I lived in the USA.


I live in the USA and wouldn't have paid a cent for those services either!


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## mitchezz (May 15, 2016)

Ruthanne said:


> I live in the USA and wouldn't have paid a cent for those services either!



So some have free Healthcare? I do have private health insurance but my sister who filled out all the paperwork didn't know the details so they admitted me under Medicare (public system). I have private insurance as there are waiting lists for non urgent cases.


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## Ameriscot (May 15, 2016)

Laurie said:


> " made $622 for less than 10 minutes work, "
> 
> You are not paying for the medical staffs' time but their qualifications.  They have all worked damned hard to get  where they are and they deserve their reward.
> 
> "The labourer is worthy of his hire" 1 Timothy 5:18



And that is paid for by insurance companies, or the patient and is the reason why the US has the most expensive healthcare in the world.  And people who go bankrupt due to medical bills.  Healthcare in the US is a 'for profit' business.  

No thanks.  Glad I've got the NHS for my old age.


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## Ameriscot (May 15, 2016)

mitchezz said:


> I'm in shock. Earlier this year I had an ambulance ride to the ER, 3 days in ICU and all up 3 weeks in hospital. Had 3 follow up visits from a nurse in my home and never paid a cent. I'd be too scared to catch a cold if I lived in the USA.



Our friends child had leukemia a few years ago.  She was in a good children's hospital for months and months.  They did not pay a penny for her care or medications.


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## Don M. (May 15, 2016)

Healthcare costs in the U.S. are nearly double those in any other civilized nation....and the last ranking by the World Health Organization placed the U.S. way down the list at about number 34 in terms of quality of care, and value received for our costs.  If you look up the top 10 highest paid careers in the U.S., 9 of them are in the medical provider careers.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/highest-paying.htm

But, there is hope on the horizon.  Between the Greed inherent in our present "for profit" system, and the chaos being generated by the ACA, I don't think it will be many more years before the people of this nation wake up and demand a SP system similar to those which are working quite well for people in other nations.  There is NO Free Lunch, and the people in the UHC system nations probably pay more in taxes to support their systems, but those taxes are probably far less than we pay in ridiculous insurance premiums and co-pays....and now government "subsidies" for those being provided for under Obamacare.


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## Ameriscot (May 15, 2016)

Don M. said:


> Healthcare costs in the U.S. are nearly double those in any other civilized nation....and the last ranking by the World Health Organization placed the U.S. way down the list at about number 34 in terms of quality of care, and value received for our costs.  If you look up the top 10 highest paid careers in the U.S., 9 of them are in the medical provider careers.
> 
> http://www.bls.gov/ooh/highest-paying.htm
> 
> But, there is hope on the horizon.  Between the Greed inherent in our present "for profit" system, and the chaos being generated by the ACA, I don't think it will be many more years before the people of this nation wake up and demand a SP system similar to those which are working quite well for people in other nations.  There is NO Free Lunch, and the people in the UHC system nations probably pay more in taxes to support their systems, but those taxes are probably far less than we pay in ridiculous insurance premiums and co-pays....and now government "subsidies" for those being provided for under Obamacare.



Many like to say UHC is 'free' but of course it is not.  It's free at the point of service.  I'm sure taxes are higher than in the US, but it's well worth it to never have to worry about the cost of healthcare or prescriptions or any kind of co-pays.


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## Butterfly (May 15, 2016)

I have a Medicare Advantage plan for which I pay nothing, except my regular Medicare premium of $104/mo.  When I dislocated my shoulder (don't do this, it's incredibly painful)  a little over a year ago I only paid a small deductible for the ER, and that was all.  I got excellent service also.

If this had happened when I had private insurance before I was old enough for Medicare, it would have cost me a LOT more.


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## Buckeye (May 15, 2016)

Way back in 2013 I had a small heart attack which led to quad bypass.  The original hospital bill was about $145k.  That's "retail".  Medicare paid about $35k and my "medigap" plan paid another $3k.  The hospital just writes off the remainder.  My out of pocket was zero.  My premiums are about $300 a month.  But if you were uninsured you would be held liable for the $145k retail amount.  Go figure.


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## Don M. (May 15, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> Many like to say UHC is 'free' but of course it is not.  It's free at the point of service.  I'm sure taxes are higher than in the US, but it's well worth it to never had to worry about the cost of healthcare or prescriptions or any kind of co-pays.



Anyone in the U.S. who hasn't been paying attention better start saving some money for the expected insurance rate hikes coming this Fall.  2017 is going to give a lot of us some Serious Sticker Shock when the rates are announced for 2017.  Whoever the next President is, they are going to Have to Address this issue, and just blaming Obama isn't going to help anyone.  When the dust settles on this problem, most are going to find that paying a couple of extra percentage points in taxes is a heckuva lot cheaper than living with these ever increasing premiums and co-pays.  

http://www.fool.com/investing/gener...gn=article&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=yahoo-2


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## fureverywhere (May 15, 2016)

Part of the mess besides Big Corporate Hospital is Big Pharma. When we did the thread asking if you could personally execute a criminal? Even though he's not charged with a capitol offense I could personally string up Skerelli and all those other exec's profiting from puffing up the market. 

I've had to go off one of my meds for a month until the Medicaid kicks back in. The medication I take and isn't controlled or for anything life-threatening. But still I'm lucky I didn't getting any side effects stopping it suddenly. With Medicaid it's free, out of pocket it's around $250 for a month. I know a lot of prescriptions are much more than that even. That's not right...


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## reflection4 (May 15, 2016)

There are quite a few children's hospitals here in the US which provide 100% free medical services including surgery and lodging/meals for family members.  One of them is St. Jude's in Memphis (founded by Marlo Thomas' father Danny).


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

reflection4 said:


> There are quite a few children's hospitals here in the US which provide 100% free medical services including surgery and lodging/meals for family members.  One of them is St. Jude's in Memphis (founded by Marlo Thomas" father Danny).



And I'm sure the waiting list is very long.


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## Ruthanne (May 16, 2016)

mitchezz said:


> So some have free Healthcare? I do have private health insurance but my sister who filled out all the paperwork didn't know the details so they admitted me under Medicare (public system). I have private insurance as there are waiting lists for non urgent cases.


I am receiving disability and medicaid insurance and pay no medical bills or medication bills or treatment bills.  You have to be qualified to receive disability here; diagnosed by a doctor.


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## reflection4 (May 16, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> And I'm sure the waiting list is very long.




You're sure?
There is no waiting list.
(Unlike the wait for that great health care in the UK, etc.)


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

reflection4 said:


> You're sure?
> There is no waiting list.
> (Unlike the wait for that great health care in the UK, etc.)



Only certain patients can be accepted at hospitals like St. Judes.  And if you don't live near it or the other rare free kids hospitals you have to quit work and move there or leave your sick kid alone in the hospital. 

Don't believe all the bias you read in the US media about the NHS in the UK or Canada.  They are trying to convince Americans that it's crappy care and they are better off in the US.  In the UK there is no waiting if you have a life threatening disease.  Depending on where you live, you may have a wait for a specialist appointment or non life threatening surgeries and there are maximum waiting times that must be met. Emergencies are take care of immediately.  

If you live in London or a big city you're likely to wait longer that elsewhere.  The NHS in England is separate from the NHS in Scotland.  My husband and I have zero complaints about any care or waiting times. When we've needed specialist appointments we have always gotten them within a week even though it wasn't life threatening.  In Scotland and Wales all prescriptions are free.  When I was first living here I asked about getting a bone density scan as my last one in the US (a heel scan) wasn't very good.  Within about 2 weeks I was sent for a full body scan!  No charge of course.  

We have an NHS dentist.  We pay £10 every 6 months for a thorough cleaning and check up.  

Nobody ever has to file for bankruptcy due to medical bills in the UK.  I believe that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.  The US is the only first world country that doesn't think so.  You can keep it.  I'll keep the NHS.

I was very lucky that my kids and I never got seriously ill or injured during the many years when I had no health insurance from my jobs in the US.


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## Bee (May 16, 2016)

reflection4 said:


> You're sure?
> There is no waiting list.
> (Unlike the wait for that great health care in the UK, etc.)



Don't believe all you read in the press, I have never yet had to wait to see a doctor or specialist.

I have also been receiving free prescriptions since I turned sixty even though I was still working.

I also receive free NHS dental care.


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## BobF (May 16, 2016)

Just having read this stuff, I wonder who is then paying for it all.   Someone has to pay as it is not 'free' in fact.

I guess I was lucky as most of my employers did offer health care as part of the package.   The one I retired from had a very good plan but when Obama care came on we were warned about the ultimate rise in cost and given a fixed dollar amount to spend against for coverage and then out of pocket.   So they have tried to defend themselves from a mistaken 'better health plan' which will need fixed soon.

Dental is not part of the Obama care unit so we now buy from an insurance company.   It does save us from the charges placed so I don't mind buying the insurance.

The cost of our health plan is not well publicized so we only know it is not fair as the insurance companies stop supporting or the rates start going up.

Interesting that the US hospital system is downgraded so severely as that must mean they rate it highly on the charges and not the skills and services.    We have had more than one wealthy person come from over seas for the better services options.   I remember one was a Canadian, don't remember if he was a politician or wealthy, but he came to the US for hospital services.


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## reflection4 (May 16, 2016)

Bee said:


> Don't believe all you read in the press



Better to believe comments and assumptions  on internet forums? :laugh:

Glad you're happy with you health plan!


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

reflection4 said:


> Better to believe comments and assumptions  on internet forums? :laugh:
> 
> Glad you're happy with you health plan!



We are people who use the NHS.  Patients comments have value. You can't argue with the facts - no one ever goes bankrupt in the UK due to medical bills.  You can't say the same for the US. You could try using Google to check it out yourself.  Or is easier to believe what the media feeds you?


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

BobF said:


> Just having read this stuff, I wonder who is then paying for it all.   Someone has to pay as it is not 'free' in fact.
> 
> I guess I was lucky as most of my employers did offer health care as part of the package.   The one I retired from had a very good plan but when Obama care came on we were warned about the ultimate rise in cost and given a fixed dollar amount to spend against for coverage and then out of pocket.   So they have tried to defend themselves from a mistaken 'better health plan' which will need fixed soon.
> 
> ...



If you bothered to read my post #17....I said it is not free, it is paid for by our taxes.  It is free at the point of service.  Since it's not a 'for profit' system like the US it costs a lot less to run.


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## WhatInThe (May 16, 2016)

As far as wait time in the US in some states depending on the insurance available in that state and state regulations the wait time for an appointment has been frequently 2-3 months out just to get something checked out. A lot of that are practices trying to ensure every opening is filled for production line medical care. In the meantime a simple problem can turn into a big problem. This is why I have no problems with urgent care or clinic type medicine. So what I might have to wait an hour or two to be seen. I'd rather go through some inconvenience than have an issue hanging over my head for months or more importantly get worse. 

The reason I mention state regulation of medical care is that I noticed in poorer states there are shorter wait times, cash will get you in the door compared to some states without insurance of any kind options tend to be extremely limited.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

WhatInThe said:


> As far as wait time in the US in some states depending on the insurance available in that state and state regulations the wait time for an appointment has been frequently 2-3 months out just to get something checked out. A lot of that are practices trying to ensure every opening is filled for production line medical care. In the meantime a simple problem can turn into a big problem. This is why I have no problems with urgent care or clinic type medicine. So what I might have to wait an hour or two to be seen. I'd rather go through some inconvenience than have an issue hanging over my head for months or more importantly get worse.
> 
> The reason I mention state regulation of medical care is that I noticed in poorer states there are shorter weight times, cash will get you in the door compared to some states without insurance of any kind options tend to be extremely limited.



I never have to wait for an appointment here.  It's always within a week unless I tell them it's urgent.  

When I discoverd I had shingles a few years ago it was a Saturday, so couldn't go to my doctor's office.  I phoned the NHS help line staffed by nurses and they set me up with an appointment at the local hospital.  The doctor met me at the hospital, looked at my rash, and gave me a prescription for an anti-viral which I took to the nearest pharmacy.  My shingles lasted only one week.


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## WhatInThe (May 16, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> I never have to wait for an appointment here.  It's always within a week unless I tell them it's urgent.
> 
> When I discoverd I had shingles a few years ago it was a Saturday, so couldn't go to my doctor's office.  I phoned the NHS help line staffed by nurses and they set me up with an appointment at the local hospital.  The doctor met me at the hospital, looked at my rash, and gave me a prescription for an anti-viral which I took to the nearest pharmacy.  My shingles lasted only one week.



Not only telling them it's urgent but if the doctors office slips you into to a cancelled routine appointment opening they still bill it as urgent or emergency care even though days later. Single payer or a national health care system should definitely be an option but not a mandate.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

WhatInThe said:


> Not only telling them it's urgent but if the doctors office slips you into to a cancelled routine appointment opening they still bill it as urgent or emergency care even though days later. Single payer or a national health care system should definitely be an option but not a mandate.



That's not how it works here.  They don't bill anyone.  Each office is given a budget for the year.  There is no billing.  Same with emergencies or hospital stays.


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## WhatInThe (May 16, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> That's not how it works here.  They don't bill anyone.  Each office is given a budget for the year.  There is no billing.  Same with emergencies or hospital stays.



Sounds like a pay me now(with taxes) or pay me later(out of pocket). Is one designated a location or doctor by home address? Is there even a private sector when it comes to health care?


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

WhatInThe said:


> Sounds like a pay me now(with taxes) or pay me later(out of pocket). Is one designated a location or doctor by home address? Is there even a private sector when it comes to health care?



You never pay for healthcare here except out of general income taxes.  It's not a special tax.  There is no out of pocket unless you're a tourist.  Normally you go to the doctors for your area, but if you don't like them you can sign up with another doctor.  It would be difficult to do in a big city like London though.  

There is private health insurance you can buy and they apparently have no waiting times at all.  Never felt a need to do that as I'm very happy with my care here and my doctors.


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## BobF (May 16, 2016)

Not sure where these delays come from in the US.   I usually have no problems for doctor care or hospital events.  We do have extended day care centers for when your doctor is not available, or you don't have one, and for half day Saturday.   For any weekend sickness we can walk into the hospital emergency entrance and by law they are required to take us in and make sure we get taken care of.    I have done that myself and also taken my wife in.   It works pretty good and at least you get checked out and understand what is next.   Do we end up paying, certainly, as we can.    Do the real poor, not working, foreign visitors need to pay.     They will be asked but if unable I am sure they do get let go.   Maybe a bill to their countries for payment, but who can enforce that if their country refuses.    The truly poor will get taken care of by our good folks that do help the poor.    The illegal immigrants will get taken care of also.   In the US we have plenty of charity going on and these are from the people or the governments or the hospitals business rules.

Plenty of our Obama care is paid for by our federal government using the tax moneys plus the many insurance policies that we must also buy.    Some how all this seems to be a big rip off of the US taxpayers from day one.    Soon to be corrected I hope.    Next year should be a new year for out health system.


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## reflection4 (May 16, 2016)

BobF said:


> Not sure where these delays come from in the US.   I usually have no problems for doctor care or hospital events



Never had a problem getting to see a doctor (sometimes on same day I call). Never had to go on a waiting list.  I do know of people in UK who had go go on a waiting list to see a doctor or wait for months to have surgery. I've never had that problem.


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## Ruthanne (May 16, 2016)

reflection4 said:


> Never had a problem getting to see a doctor (sometimes on same day I call). Never had to go on a waiting list.  I do know of people in UK who had go go on a waiting list to see a doctor or wait for months to have surgery. I've never had that problem.


I usually wait a couple of weeks to see my doctor but have an ER and urgent care nearby too.  The dentist makes appointments faster and I have an appointment tomorrow.  I also know of people that had to wait for about a month for their doctor appointment.  Sometimes my gyn. takes a month to see.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

reflection4 said:


> Never had a problem getting to see a doctor (sometimes on same day I call). Never had to go on a waiting list.  I do know of people in UK who had go go on a waiting list to see a doctor or wait for months to have surgery. I've never had that problem.



Which people?  According to some US news story?  What percentage of the population and in which country?


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## reflection4 (May 16, 2016)

Ruthanne said:


> I usually wait a couple of weeks to see my doctor but have an ER and urgent care nearby too.  The dentist makes appointments faster and I have an appointment tomorrow.  I also know of people that had to wait for about a month for their doctor appointment.  Sometimes my gyn. takes a month to see.



If I cancel/reschedule an appt I  sometimes have a longer wait, but for routine things that's understandable.


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## Bee (May 16, 2016)

reflection4 said:


> Never had a problem getting to see a doctor (sometimes on same day I call). Never had to go on a waiting list.  I do know of people in UK who had go go on a waiting list to see a doctor or wait for months to have surgery. I've never had that problem.



I have _never_ yet had to go on a waiting list to see a doctor, the last time I had to have non urgent surgery I was admitted to hospital within 3 days of seeing my doctor.

I only know about American medical care with what I have read of members personal experiences and expenses on different forums and each time I have read them.............I am always grateful for the fact we have the NHS in this country.


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## Ameriscot (May 16, 2016)

Bee said:


> I have _never_ yet had to go on a waiting list to see a doctor, the last time I had to have non urgent surgery I was admitted to hospital within 3 days of seeing my doctor.
> 
> I only know about American medical care with what I have read of members personal experiences and expenses on different forums and each time I have read them.............I am always grateful for the fact we have the NHS in this country.



I am grateful as well, especially when I read here how much everyone has to pay for all the various Medicare and other insurance plans, the co-pays, etc.  I know there is a small fee in England for prescriptions, but elsewhere there is none.  Except for my allergy meds I rarely need a prescription, but glad I never have to pay.

Even when I had employer insurance in the US from a university I still had to pay $15 for each doctor visit, all my prescriptions, and 10% of my two surgeries.


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