I’m Canadian. And I’m already sorry for asking an ignorant question.
I know you have to pay for hospital visits in the states. I know lower economic status can come with lower access to birth control and sex education. But then, how do they afford to give birth? Do people ever avoid hospital visits because they don’t feel like they can’t afford it?
Do hospitals put people on a payment plan? Is it possible to give birth and not pay if you don’t have the means? How does it work in the states?
How does it all work?
Again. Canadian. And sorry.
Have I personally avoided going to the hospital? Absofuckinglutely. Unless I’m in immediate danger of dying I’ll figure it out myself. I’ve superglued more than one nasty cut that probably needed stitches, entirely possible I’ve ignored more than one concussion. Is it smart? Unequivocally and resoundingly not. Do I do it anyway so I can pay my rent? Yep.
I wonder about the effects of having a low grade constant stressor like that. Combine that with at-will employment and gum prevalence and it’s surprising anyone is able to feel secure and get healthy.
Purely anecdotal, since I can only draw from my own personal pool, but I don’t have a single friend or colleague who feels even remotely secure in their life. We’re all one emergency away from bankruptcy.
I’m so sorry. I want more for my neighbours.
Again just a personal opinion but I’m loving the change I’ve been seeing lately. More people seem to be standing up for their fellow man and calling for things like universal healthcare. I’ve never seen this much unionization and union positive thinking in my life. I have hope that this attitude of radical individualism is going away and that people are going to pull together for the benefit of all people, not some.
I really hope you’re right. As a Dutch guy in the US it really baffled me how many Americans vote against their self interest only to then do a poor man’s version of social healthcare via GoFundMe when their luck inevitably runs out
In the US it baffles us as well. Though most Americans do actually want universal healthcare, anytime it comes up as an issue in the national conversation there is such massive propaganda against it, articles talking about things like ‘death panels’, hypothetical committees under more socialized healthcare systems that will decide who lives and dies, or that you’d have to wait hours at the ER. Ridiculous things like that. It’s seen as a ‘left’ issue, if you are on the right or conservative in the US you won’t be as likely to support universal healthcare, which does align with one right-wing view of ‘poor people should die more’.
The effects of having low grade stressor like that, combined with non-federal sick leave nor vacation and predatory corporate labor laws are what you witness in the US every day. Precipitously declining mental health for everyone, reduced social and coping skills. Commonplace violence and rage and incredible rates of anxiety and depression and resultant medication.
Heart disease like irregular heartbeat and stroke. Gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and IBS. Increased susceptibility to illness. Ability to learn/memorize/perceive are reduced. Not to mention the effects of maladaptive coping mechanisms such as drinking, smoking, drugs etc.
Source.
I whole heartedly agree… We should ban all gum… Big chew included 😋/s
I make good money and have reasonable health insurance. However, I grew up super poor. So I only use health insurance in life or death circumstances.
I don’t want to be poor again.
Definitely same.
For our northern cousins, an illustrative story. I was attacked by a dog and with my arm and leg bleeding everywhere my first call was to my wife to get her to come pick me up because I knew an ambulance would be insanely expensive, and my second call was to insurance to find out if I could go to the hospital instead of urgent care. They sent me to urgent care, where they told me it was the worst attack they’d ever seen that wasn’t on the face.
The kicker is that I even have GOOD insurance, but that’s the reality of not knowing if it’s gonna bankrupt you or be covered or not: hesitation. That’s the reality of having years of habit-forming second-guessing when you had bad insurance, or when with good insurance and a tight budget. Imagine what is like for people with bad or no insurance.
Are you sure you don’t qualify for Medicaid or other public assistance?
Yep. I make ok money and have insurance. Things being what they are, rent has skyrocketed over the past couple years. Food seems to be coming down in price but for a while there it was pretty alarming. I haven’t had a significant raise in about 3 years to keep up with cost of living increases. Choices must be made and if life and limb aren’t in immediate danger, I choose to not have a bill of several thousand dollars for something like a few stitches and/or fight with my insurance company over coverage.
My housemate lost his awesome mom when he was like, 10, because of that. She refused to go to the hospital because she couldn’t afford it, and it got infected. Fuck this country.
This doesn’t answer OPs questions at all. Medicaid is available for expecting families that covers the cost of prenatal, birthing, and postnatal services.