Single Payer Health Care - an example.

I just came back from visiting the doctor, and in respect of the horror stories I've heard coming out of the USA, I thought I'd share this "Australian" experience with you:

I've got an injured shoulder, so I looked up a good sports medicine specialist and made an appointment. I visited him this morning and got a cortizone injection - all in all a very professional doctor. The visit cost me $70.

I paid the bill as I left, and went straight down to the mall where the Medicare (govt. healthcare system) office is. I handed over my doctor's bill and they refunded me $58. So basically, a visit to the doctor and a cortizone injection cost me twelve bucks. In other words, the government covered over two thirds of the cost.

I have NO health insurance, and what happened to me would apply to any other citizen, regardless of age or income.

Does America have a similar setup to this?

I am really getting tired of getting screwed over here.

the federal government here is starting a huge push to promote immigration of skilled workers, because we're facing a skilled labor shortage.

eom

I do subcontracting work so I have no health care to speak of. If I get sick, I'm screwed. I haven't had a physical exam since HS, and can only get to the dentist infrequently.

If you are richs the top sports medice specialist in the country flies to your mansion and gives you a cortizone injection.

If you are in the buffer class of priveledged workers, you get to go to a very good doctor, you pay a small copayment and your insurance picks it up.

If you are in the working poor or non-working poor you deal with your shoulder hurting because youd have to go further into debt to get it treated.

If you are lower managerial class, you go to your primary doctor, s/he examines you and determines whether or not you need any type of specialist. Usually the GP will give you the shot.

If it's more complicated, you're sent to an orthopedic specialist (not a sports medicine specialist) and s/he will give you the shot.

There are copays for both doctors, and there may be an additional copay for administering the shot, plus a copay for any antiinflammatory meds you might need.

You don't get that sports medicine specialist unless you're willing to cough up his entire fee yourself.

As a first time visit to the doctor, you would easily pay upwards of $125,
and the injection would be extra.

With no insurance,
the dr's office would want the money in full, and chances are great
that you would be charged more because of lack of insurance.
And the money paid for the visit would not be reimbursed at all if you did not have insurance.

Even with insurance you might have to pay a co-pay,
once the deductible for the insurance has been met.
If you owe for a bill after 3 months(time may vary), the debt collectors start calling.

The insurance companies can legally not pay on some things,
and not pay on a claim for up to 18 months.

If you have a lot of medical bills, and a claim gets overlooked by you,
and time creeps by past the 18 months,
you would have to pay the claim, you would not be reimbursed by the insurance company.

And the doctor's office where you received the service does not legally have to inform you
if the insurance company has not paid on a certain claim.

And all of this varies from one insurance company to another,
and from one state to another. Oh, and having insurance is largely tied in with having a job. Loverly system we've got, eh?

An uninsured person woudl either have to "suck it up" (walk it off), or pay cash up front and wait a few hours (or more likely, a LOT of hours) in an emergency room waiting room until there was nothing more serious ahead of you.