When it comes to medical care in the United States, there are two characteristics that many people are aware of.
First, Americans can buy nothing, but they must buy health insurance, otherwise they will not be able to pay the bills.
Second, Americans go to the hospital first, and then the bill is sent to their home.
Many people envy Americans who can see a doctor first and pay later, but they also resent medical insurance that is too expensive.
But now, that enviable advantage is fading away.
According to the Caesars Family Foundation survey, in the first quarter of this year, the foundation analyzed data from 1,850 U.S. hospitals and found that about 23% of patients need to pay upfront for treatment, which is higher than the 20% in the same period in 2022.
In order to combat the phenomenon of patients evading payment, more and more hospitals have begun to implement the policy of collecting money first and treating later, requiring patients to pay the full amount in advance.
However, this has caused disadvantaged patients to suffer, some have been forced to delay treatment in order to raise funds, and others have found out that they have been overcharged and have to go to great lengths to get refunds.
Some people asked, is this only for people who do not have insurance to ask for an upfront fee? The answer is: no.
Data shows that about half of the bad debts written off by U.S. medical institutions last year were due to uninsured patients.
The reality is that at present, many people in the United States, even if they have purchased medical insurance, the high cost of medical treatment cannot cover the entire cost of treatment.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Cybekny of Merritt Island, Florida, said the family needed to raise $2,000 over seven weeks because her daughter needed tonsil surgery. If the payment is not made when the term is completed next month, the surgery will be postponed.
Bickney lamented that the hospital asked for US$3,000 (about 21,700 yuan), and after deducting insurance, they still had to bear US$2,000.
The head of the University of Arkenser School of Medicine said his hospital is implementing a prepayment policy to ensure that patients who can afford it pay for it.
It is reported that surgeries that now require advance payment include scheduled surgeries and treatments such as childbirth, CT scans, and knee replacements.
However, the hospital said it would still comply with federal regulations and would not turn away patients in urgent condition. Some hospitals also describe that prepayment allows patients to know their own costs, and can compare charges between different hospitals, so as to avoid sky-high bills.
In addition, a poll in the United States showed that nearly half of the respondents said that if they suddenly fell ill or injured, they might not be able to afford more than $500 in medical expenses.
What do you think about healthcare policies abroad? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area
Pay attention to Da Liu and take you to see a bigger and more exciting world