Healthcare can't be left to the free market. Simply because the demand part of the market isn't free.

My country screens like 10% of total (mostly) boob-havers per year for free (the number would heve been higher if more ppl decided to get tested). So basically everyone is invited, with mobile test units (just big containers/trucks) roaming around the country for the elderly, or for a bit more remote villages, or just to spread awareness & make someone get screened out of convenience.

Since September my wife has had about ten CTs, three MRIs, two major surgeries (the last one 7 hours long), one emergency surgery, weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments and about 8 weeks hospitalised including some time in the ICU.

Total cost: $0

Unless you count the cost of parking when I visit her in hospital, in which case I’ve spent about $170 USD

This is in New Zealand with a publicly funded health system.

First of all, I am glad you do not have breast cancer.

In the Netherlands...Every year or two a buss comes to our village where one can get tested for breast cancer.for free.

Land of the fee.

In Sweden there is no cost for this whatsoever. Most things are free or have tiny bills. I'm not saying it to make you feel worse, just pointing out that America is bordering on not being a civilized country anymore.

As a bonus, we don't have any Musks here.

For those unaware how Health Insurance works in the states.

You can have health insurance all you want. Especially if this bill is recent, they will cover a large part of the cost, but most people are still on the hook for Usually between $1000-1500 of all healthcare before insurance REALLY kicks in. This is called the Deductible (and Out of Pocket) expense. You also pay a 'Premium', essentially a subscription cost that normally comes directly out of your paycheck.

For single coverage, just yourself, it's about $1200. For family coverage, where your insurance covers everyone in your house, It's usually double that. So ~$2,500-3,000.

So this person probably hasn't had any bills yet this year. Once they pay about $1500 in costs, everything after that becomes (mostly) free. Depending on what you have, insurance will pay anywhere from only 80% - 100% of the cost from whatever the procedures and meds are.

Then funny part is that some places in America the cost is so high, this might be a situation where their insurance DID kick in already and their insurance is still making them pay that much. Or it's a case where you get a bill for that much but your insurance hasn't paid it yet... so it looks like you're supposed to... so you do... then two months later you get a check for that amount.

It's so. Damn. Silly. And I resent Republicans every day for it. That's not even the Fascist MAGA Theocracy republicans. Just your stock standard ones lmfao.

I'm supposed to have a colonoscopy because of my celiac

This is why I don't

America is well overdue for a revolution.

Oh, but we have the best healthcare system in the world (which is why I'm thousands in medical debt despite having good insurance with no sign of a diagnosis or treatment) and you have super long wait times in other countries (which is why I had to wait almost a year to get a new neurologist when my old one retired).

But hey, we keep the health insurance industry making money for its shareholders, so there's that.

Honestly do not mean this as a troll, but each and every one of us should call our house representative and let them know that we would appreciate more assistance from them when it comes to how much we have to pay for our out of cost expenses.

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Just stating our displeasure with the current costs here on Lemmy doesn't help resolve anything.

My wife and I have 'the best insurance in the city" we've been told by practitioners. Standard bloodwork costs me several hundred dollars.

I had shitty insurance when I worked for a major retailer, and I had to go to the ER.

My copay was $300 plus 40% of the bill.

Turned out uninsured people making under $100,000 a year got a 90% discount at that hospital, so it was actually more than 4x the cost because I was insured.

I've got to be honest, as a fellow American with chronic health problems, that seems dirt cheap for a diagnosis.

Ex wife was denied a mammogram due to having too many, according to her insurance company. Cancer runs in her family and doctors have discovered lumps they want to keep an eye on.

Mom died of breast cancer. On my bd last month.

She felt a lump, didn't get it checked, figured it was a bit of fake titty that broke loose. Would have cost too much to get looked at.

Found she had breast cancer. Her chemo stent got infected, wanted to wait until Monday to have it seen. Would have cost too much.

Husband drove her 2-hours through 14° weather, snow and mountains and all, to the ER. Dead within 24 hours.

But hey! Another dead conservative Boomer! Win?

Honestly that's kind of on you for having breasts

Congrats tho. Just lost a friend to breast cancer that was suspected years ago but not confirmed until december. Seriously, congrats.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but shit like this is what prevents people from taking preventative measures.

I think this is one those situations where "I did all that for nothing" is way better outcome

I'm having a tooth extraction at an oral surgeon later this month and I just found out I'm paying $450 for it. If there's a complication it'll be $1100. I also have insurance.

I'm so used to it, I was expecting more. "that's it?" - i thought to myself, in this boring dystopia.

Could be worse. You could have paid that to find out you do have breast cancer...

Everything in this fucking country is a giant predatory scheme.

Wtf, as a Canadian who had a breast reduction and a revision for free this sort of thing seems like a nightmare to me.

Sometime last year I felt some lumps in my scrotum. worried it could be a sign of balls cancer, I went and had them checked. I have probably better health insurance than most people i know. Cost about the same. Outrageous. but hey, turns out i don't have balls cancer so i guess it could be worse.