Healthcare Stories

It breaks my heart every time I see a health-related GoFundMe campaign, particularly for CHILDREN. Having lived 14 years in Europe, I finally get it. Little by little, the heavy burden of healthcare was lifted from my body and mind as I adjusted to the reality that healthcare would always be there for me, no matter what. My colonoscopy was 100% free. And also for my daughter: when she was in the hospital, I worried about her, not about her bills. We never got a bill. From a distance, I now see health care in the US as an albatross, along with credit card debt and school loans, dragging anyone not wealthy down and chaining them to the US and to jobs they may hate or situations they cannot escape. I know it's hard to believe, Americans, but it IS possible. The money IS there. They find trillions for defense, and they can find the funds for this. Don't believe the hype that it's "not possible here" or "too expensive" or "poor quality". Those are all lies. I wouldn't have believed it myself until I left the USA for long enough to really experience healthcare in two other developed countries. It can be done - but you have to believe it or it will never become a reality!

I am an American who has been living and working in France since 1991. Even as far back as my first days here I had access to healthcare through my boyfriend's (now husband) policy. Some 20+ years later, following a routine mammogram (some costs covered by National healthcare the remaining costs covered by my private additional insurance) I was diagnosed with an early stage breast cancer. During this frightening time, one thing I never had to worry about was how I was going to pay for treatments. In France, a cancer diagnosis means that your National healthcare coverage goes automatically up to 100% for all treatment related to this diagnosis. Two operations, radiation therapy and a 5 year daily chemotherapy regime have all been covered. My only out-of-pocket expense was a bone density scan, 39€, which my private health care policy reimbursed. I am cancer free now but live with the lingering back of the mind fear that the cancer could come back, but I never have to worry that this "pre-existing" condition will stop me from reaching for and obtaining my professional and personal goals. Since my diagnosis and treatment, I have changed jobs and during a pre-hire medical check-up I was able to freely talk about my medical history without fear that would block me from getting hired....I'm year into my new job and loving it!

When I transferred from NYC to Montreal in August1970, I thought it would be for a few years - just the time to complete my education and work on improving my French. That fall paperwork arrived announcing the beginning of universal healthcare. I filled it in, and received my card. I thought nothing of it; I was a healthy 24-year-old. At 25 years and 11 months, I married. At 27 years and 8 months, our son arrived. Had we not asked for a private room, there would have been no fees for my few days in the hospital post-delivery. The exorbitant bill came to all of $25. At 29 years and 7 months, our daughter arrived; same scenario, though a day or two less in hospital, and same bill. All their well-baby checkups were free of charge. As were all their vaccinations, every trip to the ER for ear-aches, fevers, colds, minor injuries, one ambulance ride and all the x-rays needed to verify that clumsy son's header into the shallow end of a pool hadn't done great damage, the collar he had to wear the rest of that summer. When I felt under the weather, it turned out I had inherited my mother's hypothyroidism. Radioactive iodine uptake test showed it was about three-quarters kaput. Lifelong followup and daily pills. OK, the pills aren't exactly free, but the cost of the prescription - even before the provincial government began its prescription plan - didn't cause me any hardship, and we were living paycheck-to-paycheck and never in the black. The testing and followups are all covered. In 1989, I was diagnosed with diabetes. All the testing and followups, all the diabetes education classes, ALL entirely covered. The children's vision and dental care was covered until age 18 (or 21? or end of post-secondary schooling? They're in their 40s now, and I don't remember when it ended.) And the absolute best part of all this carefree medical coverage is that, beyond renewing the healthcare card every four years, there is NO paperwork on the patient's end. No, it's not really FREE. The personal tax rate in Quebec isn't low by any means, but it's a price that's easily and painlessly paid. When I'd come here, I knew nothing of all this. I had fully intended returning to the US to make my life. I'll never relinquish my US citizenship, but I don't believe I'll ever be returning either. Picture this: I was visiting my mother in NYC. I helped her corral a cat that needed to be taken to the vet. Her cat was uncooperative, and sank her teeth into my hand in the process of capturing. I immediately washed and treated the puncture wounds. By the time we got to the vet, my hand had swollen up like a rubber glove; the vet told us to get me to an ER. Well, we'd already decided to do that. So, off we went to the ER of the hospital my mother usually used. After four hours sitting unseen in the waiting room, I was called. Much to my mother's distress, the hospital refused to have anyone even look at my swollen hand! There was no way they could treat me, since I wasn't my mother!!! No amount of cash could change their ruling!!! WTF!!! So across town to another ER which the first said would care for me. Another long wait. I was finally seen, treated, prescribed a course of antibiotics, and sent on my way. I haven't a clue how much my mother had to pay, but I'm betting it was at least triple digits. Had that occurred here in Montreal, ANY hospital's ER would have treated my injury without a lengthy wait - open wounds get cared for before most other cases excepting those arriving by ambulance. From arrival to exit would probably have been under an hour, and - because treated without twelve hours delay - I probably wouldn't have been off work for a week after my two-week vacation. Other seniors retire to sunny destinations. I don't even consider it, because the healthcare costs are scarily high.

Health care is never free, someone pays for it. My experience in Canada is everyone pays a little more in taxes so that everyone has coverage. What do I mean by coverage...anyone who needs heart surgery, visits a family doctor, or is referred to a specialist, needs an MRI, or is diagnosed with cancer and needs chemo treatment, or have a stay in a hospital...these are just examples...what you do is present your CardCare that has a number to admissions, they record the necessary data...you have your appointment...that's it...no bill comes in the mail ever! Also, I have complete freedom to choose the doctor I want. This is what I know to be true!

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

Bicycle accident. Two broken ribs, punctured lung. Ambulance, pump/tube to drain lung, x-rays daily, medications (including those normally taken), 4 days in intensive care, Cost: 65 euros (about $75 dollars at the time).

I live in London, and earlier this year, I was sexually assaulted by a stranger. Without hesitation, I went straight to Accidents and Emergencies, where I was dealt with quickly and compassionately by the nurses and doctors on call, even on a busy Saturday night. Most importantly, they immediately alerted and referred me to a free weekly counseling service, which helped me work through near-constant feelings of guilt, trauma, and thoughts of self-harm that came up after the incident. In the US, my insurance would not have covered this counseling, or would have partially covered it, leaving me with a copay of at least $100 per session, which many people can't afford, especially not as an ongoing service. Thanks to single-payer healthcare, I was not only aware of the help I could receive, but I wasn't afraid of sacrificing my financial security for my mental well-being. I love the NHS!

Last September I fell and couldn't get up. The spirit was willing but my femur wasn't, as evidenced by my right foot sticking out at a 90 degree angle from what I presumed to be my leg. Someone called the pompiers, who scooped me up and drove me (at no cost to me) to the nearest hospital. There I had to wait a day while they took more urgent cases (one woman was aborting), but the next they replaced my femur with a titanium rig guaranteed not to set off alarms at airports. I was placed in a private room and a therapist came daily for 10 days to walk me around the halls. Nurses fed me, helped me into and out of bed and spoke French at me, which forced me to speak my appalling French to them. After I was sent home, another therapist came twice a week to coach me in walking again and teach me exercises. Nurses came daily to message my leg and give me pills, probably anti-coagulants. (As a tough-guy American, I declined pain medicine.) The whole episode cost me 14,000 euros. (Had I been French, it would have been free.) In the U.S., it would have cost in excess of $100,000. Recovery was predictably slow. I am only now learning to run, very gingerly and slowly, on absolutely flat paving. I have nothing but praise for the French health car system. I have read that it is ranked the best in the world. Australia's is ranked second, with the American somewhere near the bottom in quality and highest in cost. Wright Salisbury

Friends of ours from California were visiting us where we live in France and one of them needed emergency gall bladder surgery. He had to spend 5 days in the hospital and the surgery, hospital stay, medications and follow-up care (daily house calls by a nurse) came to a total of 5000€. He of course had to pay for this as he's not covered by the French healthcare system but the cost of this life-saving surgery did not land him with a bill that would destroy his life! Thank you universal healthcare!

During a routine physical my GP turned up some concerns which prompted him to send me for lab work. This in turn turned up some blood in my stool, which resulted in an order for a colonoscopy. The procedure was preceded by an info session held at the local hospital, where the procedure was to be done. When the day came, everything went off like clock work. They removed a polyp which was sent for testing. About a week later I got the "all clear", much to my relief. The cost for all of this: GP visit, lab work, seminar, procedure: $0. Shortly after I spoke with a friend who lives in the U.S. and asked him if he'd had a colonoscopy yet, as everyone here in Canada of a certain age gets one. He said he hasn't because he can't afford it. That gave me pause to think about freedom. True freedom is freedom from worry- for your health, for your loved one's health, for your financial security. There is no such thing as medical bankruptcy here. As they say: "mic drop"

3x cancer; diabetic; broken shoulder; lymphoedema; heart attack

I have had many health issues over 41 years and NOT ONE PENNY has ever changed hands in my fabulous care under the NHS. My medications - 18 pills a day - have been free for ten years now ( I am 64) and all medications are free in the UK to the over-60s and students. The British NHS was established in 1947. Had FDR not died suddenly in 1945 I am convinced he would have embraced Attlee's brilliant NHS and established an identical healthcare plan for all Americans to the US. I have not been able to travel to the USA to see my family for eleven years because I cannot get UK travel insurance to the USA. This is because British insurers are terrified of the bills that will come in should I fall ill in the USA. I cannot get care in the USA not can I afford it. PLEASE BRING AN NHS TO THE USA! Carol Gould

I'm an American, and now Canadian, working as a professor at a Canadian university. Moving to my new home country was one of the best and most serendipitous decisions my family and I have ever made. A few years ago, I was diagnosed and treated for a significantly large aortic aneurysm. While recovering in hospital, I was told that I had a large mass (cancer) on my kidney. This single-payer healthcare system saved my life twice so that I can continue to be a father, husband, and researcher/educator. My doctors routinely monitor me via scans, etc. The only things that I have been required to provide in return is my name, birthdate, and positive attitude. Great healthcare does exist beyond US borders.

1. It relies on federal block grants (antithima to Dems) because even in a country as small a Canada, a national program would be too unwieldly and unresponsive (imagine DVA healthcare for all). Dems oppose state level programs because we are so shockingly thin in state government. This needs to be a co-priority in healthcare reform 2. Its not an instant process. Canada took 35 years from first provincial program to the current legal framework. So the US clock started running in 2006 with RomneyCare in Mass. The interim period for Canada featured intense political wrangling, industry push-back (Drs. Strikes, opting out, practitioners leaving the country) and constant tweeking and tuning. So US may be on or even ahead if course 3. Universal healthcare is not synonymous with affordable healthcare as all funding levels in Canada are acutely aware. 4. Finally and probably most importantly, since universal health care, universal health insurance and single payer healthcare are not synonymous he should look for a role model from amongst the dozen or so countries whose mixed funding universal systems regularly outscore Canada (and US) on both costs and health outcomes. We Americans equate choice with quality and choice and universality are not incompatible. Robert Thompson Kanata ON

When I lived in the US, I had medical care until I was 21 because my parents were working for the US military. After that, I had no medical coverage whatsoever until I managed to get a job with a company that was in an HMO network. Even then, I didn't want to see a doctor because of the co-pay and luckily I never had to go to the emergency room. Now, in the UK, I don't have to worry how much a doctor's visit will cost me. I can feel free to speak to a doctor about a mild pain I've had for years, or for a very bad migraine or illness. No, it's not perfect, but it's far better than what most people in the US have to deal with. Horror stories of people killing themselves because of medical bills don't exist in the UK. Cancer patients and car crash victims don't have huge bills that debilitate them for decades after surviving. Universal healthcare works!

I support universal healthcare! I live in York, England. I use the NHS. It's incredible. I'm 8 months pregnant, was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and have my scans, appointments, diabetes treatment free at point of delivery. When I found out I was pregnant, my father sent me money, thinking I'd need to pay out of pocket. I sent it back because the NHS will take care of you, even though I'm from the USA. I've used the NHS as an asthmatic and I cannot fault the system or care. I feel relaxed heading into delivery, as I'll discuss the options with my team without wondering about whether one option will cost more, will my insurance cover it, how long will my insurance cover me for staying in the hospital, etc. I've had all vaccinations, checkups, tests, without worrying about paying a dime out of pocket. This level of stress free pregnancy should be universal everywhere. I'm on a pregnancy forum, where many of the women are American and in the States. They discuss whether they'll be able to pay for the hospital bill, how they hope they don't have complications, that they cannot afford an ambulance to the hospital if something happens. It's heartbreaking and this just shouldn't happen. Andrea B. York, England

As a Canadian born US citizen who has spent time living and working in Europe I can comment from experience on life under four different systems -- one universal single payer (Canada), two universal multi payer (Holland and the UK) and on non-universal (USA). I would say, and international studies agree, that the universal multi payer option systems far out perform the others. Canada consistently ranks second last, and the USA last in rankings of healthcare outcomes in advanced nations and it's time we both stopped using each other as "the alternative" and looked further afield. Both our systems ration availibility, either through resource scarcity as a cost management measure or by effectively denying coverage to a large portion of the population. The universal coverage mixed payer systems offer both choice broad access. The NHS co-exists with private, at cost system and the Dutch systems mandates that all residents have coverage either through the government system or private coverage. Both operate as a smaller percentage of GNP than Canada's 12% or the US's 16% and deliver broader coverage. That said, let's review the Canadian health care journey to single-payer to make sure we understand it's evolution and current reality: 1) It is NOT a national system, it's a network of Provincial (State) systems that adher to certain national standards -- primarily -- universality, portability and (it's achilies heel) no additional patient fees -- in exchange for BLOCK GRANTS from the Federal level. (Constitutionally health Care is a Provincial, not a Federal responsibility) Most of the funding comes from the Provincial not Federal level (it's the largest Provincial budget item for most) and the decision on coverage is made Provincially not nationally. About 70% of all healthcare costs are government funded, the rest from private citizens directly or through insurance (I believe in US about 60% already government funded) 2) Costs are a major issue to provinces and smaller ones already require extra federal funding. Aging populations risk bankrupting the system unless costs are curtailed (governments are already fighting Drs over salary levels) or the obsession with a "one tier" program with no private coverage options and no co-payment is eliminated. 3) It took nearly 50 years to get to it's current state: - it was first introduced in Albert in the 1935 but scrapped the next year with a change in government (sound familiar?). It was introduced in 1936 in BC but pulled over opposition by Drs. - it was first successfully introduced in Saskatchewan in 1947 but not federally funded until 1957 and by 1961 all provinces had a program similar to Medicare Part A. - in 1962 Saskatchewan introduced the equivilant of Medicare Part B and there was a bitter strike by physicians. - but by 1966 federal funds were made available physician cost as well. Almost 2 decades of turmoil followed with issue like Drs. leaving the country, opting out of the program and billing privately or extra-billing in the system. - in 1984 the current "universal single payer system" was introduced. 4) Despite all the above, the difference between my aging Canadian friends, and my aging US friends, all of whom are getting new knees or a stent or managing diabetes is that the Canadians all have the peace of mind to know where and how they will get the treatment they need. Whether measured in longer lifespans or lower infant mortality rates, or just the minimization of iatrogenic bankruptcy, there is a measurable quality of life increment from universal access. So it's worth the battle. But it's a long complex road so here are some insights from the Canadian experience: - it's an incremental evolution, not a massive one shot reshaping of "one sixth of the economy" - focus has to be on addressing costs not just on "insurance" and access - long term sustainability means exploiting both government and private funding options - and the scale and complexity mean it needs to be State focused within national guidelines (which is why lthe current loss of Democratic stature at a State level is so dangerous) While the ACA was not perfect, I saw it as an important first step on the journey. Constant revision from the ACA core is the right way to go and setting the expectation that it's is a work in progress not the end in itself Loosing issue leadership to Bernie Saunders with an out of left field, scarey-to-many "single payer proposal" is a dangerous step backwards when, when the PR is spinning right, the voter middle ground is quite comfortable with an evolutionary ACA. While the GOP flounders with repeal and replace, the crime is that an active viable ACA v2 hasn't been visiably championed by party leadership. My two cents worth, Robert Thompson

I'm a dual citizen. In my old job, I used to travel a lot for work. One time, I was taking antibiotics, and got to my destination interstate to realise I'd left the box on the counter at home. I asked the local office manager to make an appointment with the nearest local clinic for late in the day. At 4:30, I walked in to that clinic, and at 4:40 I had a new prescription -- no cost to me for the visit. No bs about who is in or out of my plan, no worry about out-of-state treatment, no hassle. That said, any legislation introduced here without costings or funding would be laughed out of parliament. Bernie's bill is not serious. Rep Conyers' bill, introduced in the House every year for over a decade, is the one to support..

In British Columbia, Canada I pay $1,080 (about $830 US) per year for basic family health care, and my employer pays another $720. The employer also covers a plan through Blue Cross; for about $2500 I get extended health and dental care (for dental there is a user fee of about 20%). Total medical & dental insurance costs of $4,000 per year get us unlimited visits to our family doctor and specialists; no charge for hospitalization including a private room; subsidy for physiotherapy and other ancillary services; and 80% of our dental expenses. Our kids were covered up to age 21. We might have to wait 6 months for an MRI or orthopedic surgery, but we can pay privately for faster treatment. Low-income people get basic health care for free. There are no restrictions on pre-existing conditions and no caps. I remember going to the U.S. before Obamacare and seeing a jam jar in a restaurant raising money for some poor kid's heart surgery. Is this the future in America?

Costa Rica has a government health care system, for which I pay only about $20 per month, which covers everything, doctor's visits, labs, meds, etc. ; and a private health care system that is a whole lot cheaper than in the USA. The gov. system or "Caja" is excellent for life-threatening situations, but for non-life-threatening situations there are long waits. For a hip replacement, for example, you'd probably have to wait 5 years. Many people use both gov. and private health care, for faster service such as doctor's visit or an X-ray, if they can afford it. The gov. system is under threat of privatization, unfortunately. I tell Ticos to protect the "Caja".

I have been living and working in Spain since 1964. There was a moment that I thought it was a temporary situation. Then I went back to the US with the thought of relocating there. After talking to friends and discovering what they were paying for health insurance, I changed my mind. Plus a horror story from my own family definitely changed my mind. A brother-in-law had a heart attack IN A HOSPITAL. He was later presented with a $40,000 bill that his insurance refused to pay and they cancelled his policy. This after years of paying $800 a month! Four years later and a court case, the hospital settled for $25,000. Something doesn't make sense. I am now retired and receiving wonderful medical attention cost-free. This does not mean that it is free. I paid into Social Security for years but am now enjoying the benefits of stress-free medical care that allows me to live comfortably on my pension without worries. So, wake up, America. Health-care should take care of you not bankrupt you.