Healthcare Stories
Thank you to everyone who has sent in their universal health care story. As you can see from the very many stories in the pages below, many Americans living abroad feel strongly about this issue. We believe that our stories will make a difference by showing the many sides of universal healthcare - from an average check up, to a hospital stay, to stories about our lives being saved thanks to universal health care.
Would you like to add your story? It's not too late, here's how: Take a selfie with our selfie card (or draw your own!), then add your picture and story in the texbox. You can also make a video and send in the url (just add the link in the textbox).
We'll share these stories with Congress to help in their fight for affordable healthcare for all Americans.
Please note that the stories below are all user submited and reflect individual opinions.
The experience of a senior citizen couple in Canada #DAresists #Medicare4all
As everyone can tell you, Canada's system isn't perfect, but it is certainly a vast improvement over the US system. In my years here in Canada, I have battled heart disease, including bypass surgery, degenerative disc disease, and two surgeries for cancer. My husband has had several knee replacements. All this has been at no cost to us. Now that we are over 65, prescription drugs are also included. I watched how much my mother paid for her insulin and a plethora of other drugs in the US, even with Part D of Medicare and an Insurance plan and how that ate into her savings in her old age. To be fair, elective surgery and many specialties are rationed based on severity of illness. In my experience they are pretty good at triage, but you can end up on a wait list if your condition isn't urgent. I can see my family doctor within a day or two. All countries ration health care. In the US it's rationed based on who can pay. In Canada, it's rationed more on need. Hope this helps. Nobody should go bankrupt because they get sick. Jackie DiGiovanni
A story from Thailand #DAresists #Medicare4all
Re: Share your universal healthcare story Even Thailand has universal healthcare Thailand is an emerging economy that might actually emerge but for lurching from half-hearted democracy to totalitarianism and back every 10 years or so. Much of the country remains what used to be called third world. Nevertheless there is a public hospital in every county and clinic in every township with quality care, including medication virtually free for citizens and a small nominal fee for non-citizens. They don't even ask if you are legal! My son from the US spend seven days in the hospital a few years ago, with a private room. The entire cost, room, doctors, medicines etc. was about 200 US. Would have been much less on a ward. Sure, there's a shortage of physicians and long waits, but in the end everybody has access to good, quality very affordable care, no questions asked, no burdensome paperwork. There are also private hospitals--much less expensive than in the US. What's wrong with the US that it cannot provide what even a chaotic totalitarian dictatorship considers a human right?
How easily it works in Canada #DAresists #Medicare4all
Recycling my 30-second pro-single-payer [Canada] vid from when I was urging it on Obama 8 years ago:
#DAresists #Medicare4all Text of my 30-second vid: "I am an American in Canada. We have single-payer health care — provincial government. All I need is this card. Universal coverage. No paperwork. No premiums. No claim forms. No deductibles. No co-pay...."
Raising a child with Marfan Syndrome #DAresists #Medicare4all
Although I only planned on moving to Ireland for a year, I ended up meeting my current husband and am now raising a family here. As incredibly health conscious individuals, we never relied on healthcare other than the occasional broken bone. This changed two years ago when my daughter failed her eye test in junior infants (the equivalent of kindergarten). They discovered she had a rare, spontaneous genetic condition that required almost immediate eye surgery and will mean ongoing cardiac, ophthalmology and orthopaedic treatment her entire life. My husband has worked in teaching for 25 years and has a stable but not high paying job; I worked in the non-profit sector (ironically with blind people). Without universal healthcare, we would have been destroyed emotionally, financially, and spiritually. While healthcare here is far from perfect, it allows our family to live stress free and remain active, healthy citizens who contribute to the well being of society. It is insane Congress would consider anything less than universal healthcare. #DAresists #Medicare4all
Mother of 2 speaks out from Ireland #DAresists #Medicare4all
When I was in my 20’s I almost died because we didn’t have health insurance and left going to the doctor to long. I ended up in the emergency room at a county hospital. I was quickly seen and released because of the amount of people waiting to be seen. An exam by the emergency room doctor showed I had a kidney infection. I was put on antibiotics and told to rest. What the exam didn’t show was that I also had a blockage in one of my fallopian tubes. The combination of antibiotics and pain meds made me very sick, causing dehydration and a hernia from throwing up. Another trip to an emergency clinic the following morning for dehydration lasted 6 hours, because we couldn’t afford to go back to the hospital. I was fortunate that my husband was from Ireland and we went across when I was well enough to have surgery. After, we returned my in-laws paid for our health insurance for a year; my Irish in-laws paid for US health insurance, ironic to say the least. As a mother of two daughters under the age of 25, I am so grateful that they can stay on my husbands health insurance until they start their careers and get insurance of their own. No, American citizen should have to sacrifice their health, or the health of their loved ones for lack of ability to pay. Our hospital emergency rooms, should be for the use of TRUE emergencies, not doctor visits for the poor and uninsured.
Health Care Success in the UK #DAresists #Medicare4all
Now living in the UK, we never worry about having to go bankrupt due to medical bills. We never have to devote hours each month to challenging denials by insurance companies of doctor's office or hospital charges. I have seen relatives here getting top-drawer care for cancer and other diseases. In two instances, I have seen my relatives provided with the kind of compassion end-of-life care that any of us would want. Informally, I have been following the costs and benefits of the American system versus the UK system since the early 1980s. In terms of cost efficiency, the two systems have remained virtually identical in morbidity and mortality rates -- but the UK has been doing this for half the cost in terms of GDP.
Great long term peace of mind in the UK #DAresists #Medicare4all
The NHS has been my sole health care provider for the last 17 years. Whilst I am in good health I have spent virtually no money on my healthcare except through taxes. I am able to get an appointment with my GP when required within a reasonable timeframe and am sent on the specialists when required. I personally have not had to wait very long for an appointment. When my son was born both he and my wife needed to spend an extra week in the hospital because of a minor complication. Again, the extra stay did not incur any expenses to us. I find staff at the NHS to quite competent. Having the NHS is very reassuring. I never have to think about whether I am covered and whether I can afford medical services. While perhaps not perfect, it is awesome to have, especially when compared to the millions living in the US whose healthcare is precarious. Long live some sort of version of publicly funded medicine!!! David Wasserberg, US citizen, London, England
crash / heal #DAresists #Medicare4all
This summer I had a mountain bike accident and broke both wrists, my collarbone, and two ribs. I was transported to the hospital by a helicopter in a difficult rescue and treated in the emergency room, immediately. The accident has thus far involved three hospital stays of 3 to 4 days each and two operations under full anaesthesia. Everything was covered including all future expenses for physical therapy and elective surgery to have plates removed. I come from Massachusetts and have always experienced good medical care. The difference is that here in Austria I work freelance but have state insurance that covers me for all medical needs at a minimal cost with little or no deductible. I can focus on healing and feel safe to just rest and wait till my injuries recover to go back to work. Although it feels unreal, it is an amazing and true privilege of life in a country where healthcare is a right, not a luxury.
If It Can Happen to Me, It Can Happen to Anyone #DAresists #Medicare4all
American society has made life easy for me because I am male, white, and straight, and I don't have any disabilities. So you would think that I would never have to go without my basic, Human needs being met by my society. Such as basic healthcare. But life is complicated, and in 2004, my basic needs DID go unmet by my society. I was between jobs, had to go to the emergency room for heat exhaustion, and ended up with a $2800 bill, which I didn't have the money for. I was scared. I wrote to the hospital and told them this, and they forgave almost all of the bill. But is that the way it's supposed to be in such a rich country? A citizen who supposedly is everything the society idealizes, no longer all that ideal when he suddenly needs healthcare? If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. And it does. Please give all Americans affordable health care. #DAresists #Medicare4all
Perspective of a Medical Professional in Canada #DAresists #Medicare4all
I support universal health care because: As a physician, it is easier for me to provide care to the patient I don’t have to ask permission to order an MRI. I just order it. As a disabled patient in a wheelchair from injury and a heart condition (from age), it makes it cost effective for me as a high end user of medical care (18 specialists this year alone). All the studies show it is the cheaper option for the govt. So. what’s not to like? MJ Willard DVM MD
UK NHS provides peace of mind #DAresists #Medicare4all
I have lived in the UK for almost 20 years and have very much depended on the UK for my healthcare. I know that when I am ill I can see a doctor fairly quickly with little waiting time. I can then walk into the pharmacy and get whatever medicine is prescribed for me for around 8 pounds. I don't have to worry that I am not able to seek out a doctor of fill a prescription. Healthcare is always available for me. As an expat. I also know that there is no real option for me to return to the US until I am old enough to be covered by Medicare as I would be unable to pay for insurance coverage even if I was unemployed for only a short time. Medicare is socialized medicine so logically it really should be a short jump to the concept of providing healthcare for everyone. Healthcare in Europe is considered a necessity and a right for all citizens and so it is astonishing to most of the world that the US doesn't recognize the importance of providing some level of healthcare to its own people.
#DARESISTS #DAresists #Medicare4all
I have osteoporosis, and have received free care for two broken wrists and total hip replacement for a fractured femur. Our only out of pocket expense was the cost of an ambulance ride to hospital. X rays, orthopaedic geriatric and physiotherapy consultations and associated hospitalization has all been paid for throw provincial health care. My husband has received cardiac care and consultation, hernia repair, and other routine medical care at no personal cost. There is no way we could afford to return to the USA in our late 80's.
Full Coverage for Delivery in Hong Kong Under Difficult Circumstances #DAresists #Medicare4all
Oh baby! Hong Kong style In 2015, my husband, son and I were living in Hong Kong, and my husband lost his job. We had enough savings to last us a bit, but I was 7 months pregnant and we didn't have enough to get back to the US and pay for the birth. Luckily the visas held, and we were allowed to stay in Hong Kong. Jobless. When the time came, I gave birth, stayed in the hospital an extra night (total 3 nights) for mine and the baby's observation, and the whole thing, including every bit of prenatal care, cost me about 36 USD. Friends of ours who went back at that time (also unemployed, also pregnant) walked into their local hospital in the US and asked how much for just the birth, and were told $8000. That's just for the bed and the doctor. No medicine, no intervention, no overnights, no emergency situations. I am glad I stayed.
I had to quit my job in northern California... #DAresists #Medicare4all
I had to quit my job in northern California to bring my husband to Mexico for dementia care. There was no way we could afford care in the U.S. I had to leave my family and friends to come down here and oversee his care. I gave up my Plan F supplemental health insurance because of the cost and the fact that it does me little good down here in Mexico. I may get a high-deductible supplement to Medicare and use medical flight insurance but that only works if I can be stabilized and then sent home by plan in the event of illness or accident. That won’t work for my husband because a trip for him is next to impossible at his stage of dementia. I fail to understand why our insurance carriers will not pay for care in a country where medical care is much less expensive than at home. I suspect they have agreements with health care providers in the U.S. and gain some financial advantage since it’s always about money in that industry. There was a time when I believed in free enterprise in the health care system but judging the behaviors of drug manufacturers (who charge more to all Americans than to residents of other countries) and by the exorbitant costs of health care that will break the bank of all but the richest Americans, I have begun to consider the philosophy that health care should be a right rather than a privilege. This is from someone who traditionally has paid out of pocket for much of my health care and that of my family; not because we didn’t have insurance, but because we chose to use alternative medicine, which is seldom covered by insurance policies but which serve us well.
I confirm that I strongly support universal health care. #DAresists #Medicare4all
The answer to the question if every American has the right to Health Care is self-evident. It is clear that the our government is in the pockets of the pharmaceutical and insurance lobbies. The question we need to be addressing is why every everything to do with health care in the US is priced exponentially more than in other countries. We may not be able to get to this question, however, until we address the issue of campaign finance reform.
Universal health care in France #DAresists #Medicare4all
Happily, we have not had to seek health care in France (except for routine blood tests that were easy, quick and inexpensive) but we do have a story. The young son of French friends in Avignon was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthrtis when he was five years old. Their national health insurance paid 100% of all the costs for his diagnosis and care over the course of 2 years by the best specialists in Montepellier and Paris, including travel and hotel expenses. Of modest means -- father an electrician and mother a secretary -- this young family would probably have been ruined had they been living in the US. Sincerely, Woody Halsey
American brother died because of lack of health care -- from UK #DAresists #Medicare4all
I support universal health care for all my large extended family in Indiana, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Illinois and Maine. My brother in Indiana died prematurely of Lyme disease and a stroke last week, due to the lack of affordable health care when he needed it, but couldn't afford it. PLEASE do not support the Republican Congress's changes and, instead, act to ensure universal health care for all. Pamela Ann Smith, London
I Owe My Life to Socialized Medicine #DAresists #Medicare4all
In 2011, I moved to Rome, Italy, to finish my Bachelor's degree. I have since remained in the country with my Italian partner. Over the past six years, I’ve had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to live in a country that considers health care to be a fundamental right to all its citizens and legal residents. Thanks to Italy’s National Healthcare System, visits to my general practitioner and the emergency room cost nothing, trips to the pharmacy don’t require insurance coverage and never empty my wallet or bank account, and going to specialists and getting lab tests are either free or cost a small fraction of what they do in the US. But my gratitude goes far beyond these standard health care services. In fact, I owe my life to socialized medicine. In 2012, I was diagnosed with HIV. Living with this disease has been a struggle and has undoubtedly changed my life, but never at any point have I had to worry about how to pay for expensive antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. My life-saving medication and periodic check-ups at the hospital are guaranteed to me as a human right! Being a full-time student at the time of diagnosis, I don't know what I would have done if this had happened to me while living in the United States. Perhaps I would have been obliged to abandon my studies and find a job to pay for treatment. One of my greatest hesitations about moving back to the United States is my fear of not being able to afford ARV treatment or the periodic blood analyses I receive here in Italy. Common arguments against public health care systems like that of Italy are that they increase taxes unnecessarily or that the quality of such health care is poor, but I can tell you from first-hand experience that this is not true. Yes, there are issues, such as long waiting periods for specialists or occasional frustrations with bureaucracy, but the benefits far outweigh these costs. What’s more, I can always opt for a private hospital or doctor if I so choose. It's time for the United States join the vast majority of high-income countries in the world by providing truly universal healthcare through a single-payer system. (Note: Posted by Moderator, Anonymous Author)
An emergency experience in Hong Kong #DAresists #Medicare4all
About a year and a half ago, my then-boyfriend (now husband) was out for a bachelor party in Lan Kwai Fong, one of Hong Kong's nightlife districts. As he walked down the street, a crazed man ran by brandishing a broken glass bottle, which cut my husband's arm quite severely. He was taken by ambulance to a public hospital, where he waited several hours to be seen/admitted. He ended up staying in the hospital for a few nights, awaiting exploratory surgery to ensure no glass was embedded in his arm and no nerves were damaged. Thankfully, the eventual surgery went well and he has had no complications to date. Although I was shocked that my husband had to wait hours/days at various points during his treatment, I believe he received a high quality of care, especially considering the cost. Upon leaving the hospital, he paid only about US$50 to cover the entire experience. Subsequently, he needed to go for check-up visits to have his dressings changed, and I think the charges were something like US$2 each time. Hong Kong does not exactly have universal healthcare, rather a combination of public and private systems. I am very grateful that the public option here is extremely affordable and accessible, otherwise my husband's experience could've been much more costly. Thanks, Sydney
50 years of coverage for juvenile diabetes in Sweden #DAresists #Medicare4all
My husband has had juvenile diabetes since he was 11 years old. Today he is 63 and in remarkably good health considering. His doctor in the US was at one of the best diabetes centers in the US, the Jocelyn Clinic. But since we moved to Sweden over 20 years l ago and following Swedish treatment for diabetics, my husband's blood sugar levels are substantially lower and more consistent over the short and long term which significantly improves his health while reducing the risk for terrible long term damage that so many diabetics in the US suffer from. As part of the normal healthcare regime, he also has regular checkups with a nurse who specializes in diabetes foot care - this is an excellent preventive measure as well as providing care if problems arise. Note that foot problems in diabetics are potentially dangerous and if left unattended can lead to amputation. His insulin, blood testing equipment and other diabetes care supplies are provided as part of the health system. This excellent care - all part of the public healthcare system - enables him to lead an active, full life as well as pursue a career in teaching.
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