Sweet mother of Murgatroyd, that is all kinds of fucked up. O_o;;
Hokay, another point of comparison: I am Australian. My husband and I have needed to go to hospital for a few things in the last couple of years. He has private health insurance. I do not.
Him: - Kidney stone. ER visit (driven by me), lots of morphine, ultrasound, MRI, intravenous antibiotics, equivalent of an overnight stay, more antibiotics to take at home. - Cut in the palm of his dominant hand. After-hours clinic visit (driven by me), local anaesthetic, buncha stitches, antibiotic.
Me: - Miscarriage. ER visit (driven by him), overnight stay, ultrasound, more ultrasounds, follow-up visits every couple of days for a week, about three more visits a week apart each, loooooads more ultrasounds, assorted medication. - Infected cyst-thingy. ER visit (referred by doctor and driven by him), what turned into effectively an overnight stay, minor surgery, intravenous antibiotics, more antibiotics to take at home.
Prices charged by the hospital? Cost to the Medicare system?
No freakin' idea. We did not get given a bill, or even an accounting of stuff we did not have to pay, because we did not have to pay one cent. There are things that Medicare doesn't pay for, or doesn't pay for fully, but ye gods I'm glad I live here.
no subject
Hokay, another point of comparison: I am Australian. My husband and I have needed to go to hospital for a few things in the last couple of years. He has private health insurance. I do not.
Him:
- Kidney stone. ER visit (driven by me), lots of morphine, ultrasound, MRI, intravenous antibiotics, equivalent of an overnight stay, more antibiotics to take at home.
- Cut in the palm of his dominant hand. After-hours clinic visit (driven by me), local anaesthetic, buncha stitches, antibiotic.
Me:
- Miscarriage. ER visit (driven by him), overnight stay, ultrasound, more ultrasounds, follow-up visits every couple of days for a week, about three more visits a week apart each, loooooads more ultrasounds, assorted medication.
- Infected cyst-thingy. ER visit (referred by doctor and driven by him), what turned into effectively an overnight stay, minor surgery, intravenous antibiotics, more antibiotics to take at home.
Prices charged by the hospital? Cost to the Medicare system?
No freakin' idea. We did not get given a bill, or even an accounting of stuff we did not have to pay, because we did not have to pay one cent. There are things that Medicare doesn't pay for, or doesn't pay for fully, but ye gods I'm glad I live here.