There have been countless American healthcare "horror" stories circulating around that have made us question everything we've taken for granted in life. The killer bills are what a staggering 83 percent of Americans, regardless of their income, said make quality medical care virtually unaffordable in this Pew Center research.
It's no wonder that, as a result, Americans feel reluctant to seek emergency treatment even when abroad. This is precisely what happened to one woman who, according to Twitter user Kyle McLain, had an emergency accident while in Tokyo. “She was in tears, screaming that she couldn’t afford it,” recalled Kyle, but it turned out the total payment, thank God, was just a bit over 30 dollars.
People were quick to share their own experiences of how shockingly different American and non-American health systems are. It just proves how one, left with no other option, gets used to defective medical care in the so-called greatest country in the world.
This Twitter user based in Tokyo shared his client’s story
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Brandon Sheffield, the director of Necrosoft Games, told how he fixed the crown on his teeth in Osaka
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The private Japanese clinic opened early just for him!
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After multiple complex procedures and sessions, the bill read 130 dollars total
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Japanese health insurance could have reduced the bill by half
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Even if there’s no set fee charged by clinics and hospitals in Japan, the general rule is that your first consultation is more expensive than the follow-ups. The organization Japan Healthcare Info suggests bringing anywhere from 50 to 100 dollars for your first consultation. Such a relatively low price is made possible by the country's health insurance, which covers 70 percent of medical costs. The remaining 30 percent is paid by the patient himself.
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Brandon concluded that it’s a no-brainer that America needs universal healthcare asap
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The low costs at the clinic didn’t have any hidden fees
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Brandon’s experience made this man feel depressed
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Other people also told their stories of medical treatments abroad that came at a fraction of the American price
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Someone shared a bill that soared up to almost 15K dollars for 4 days in hospital
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This man paid 5 dollars for his son’s medicine thanks to Japanese social healthcare
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People had a lot to say about the subject
