Healthcare in US

[Returning_Indian]

This topic is so huge and impactful that it deserves its own thread. Ranging from insurance costs to insurance denials, lack of proper Medicare coverage, increased govt spendings and future reductions in Medicare coverage etc.

[Returning_Indian]

https://www.wsaz.com/2024/12/12/17-year ... suit-says/

Saw this in my reddit feed. This is a direct result of trying to find cheap healthcare. Even in UK they refused to do any dental work in clinic that required general anaesthesia. So I am surprised this dentist turned himself into anesthesiologist while doing the surgery. Without any life saving emergency care being available in house. Probably not the first time. Gross negligence/malpractice. Or maybe this is what happens when you try to find best 'deal' in US.

Even in India, one small hospital refused to care for my relatives' small surgery as anesthesiologist was not ready to deal with complexity without the big cardiac unit support. In the end it turned out for better as even big name hospitals had us sign numerous forms as it was a complex case and needed expert cardiac support to work with anaesthesia team.

Really sad situation in a country with gdp per capita of 80k (35 times of India).

[old-spice2]

Some people are dying in ER room after waiting for a long period. There is a shortage of nurses, technician, doctors and beds in the emergency. We discovered that few months back.

Fatal delay: Federal probe reveals Vallejo man died at Kaiser ER after 8-hour wait for chest pain treatment

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigatio ... r/3590464/

Also there is a long wait (2-3 weeks) to get appt from specialists. If you are lucky you may get immediate slot if someone cancels. I have also noticed many doctors and Urgent Care do not prescribe strong medication to cure your ailment, out of fear of malpractice lawsuit. Many of the corporate hospital staff get direction from the legal department to give "gharelu nuske" or OTC medicines. In the past 30 years I have fought many times to get prescription meds which cures the problem in 1-2 days instead of a week or more with their approach. With limited vacation/sick time one cannot afford to remain sick for a week.

I was lucky enough to locate one Chinese-American doctor 20+ years back and I hang on to him as my life literally depends on him. He is like Indian doctors, diagnoses issues quickly and gives strong medicine to bring me back to normal in couple of days. Other PCP I have come across, I call them "Tylenol doctors". They are mix of Desi, Chinese and white who have been ineffective in treatment of regular ailments.

[SAPPORO]

Just because something is not reported and tracked does not mean it does not happen- it's like being in 'fool's paradise'! Just a cursory google search would list some of the reported cases of anesthesia deaths in India. The doctors just blame it on fate in India and the actual reason may never come to light unlike in the US where one cannot even cremate/bury the dead until after 48 hours for the reasons to be confirmed.
There were 34 anesthesia related deaths for a population of 340 million in the US where it's tracked and reported, and I will take my chances here.

[SAPPORO]

Some people are dying in ER room after waiting for a long period. There is a shortage of nurses, technician, doctors and beds in the emergency. We discovered that few months back.

Fatal delay: Federal probe reveals Vallejo man died at Kaiser ER after 8-hour wait for chest pain treatment

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigatio ... r/3590464/

Also there is a long wait (2-3 weeks) to get appt from specialists. If you are lucky you may get immediate slot if someone cancels. I have also noticed many doctors and Urgent Care do not prescribe strong medication to cure your ailment, out of fear of malpractice lawsuit. Many of the corporate hospital staff get direction from the legal department to give "gharelu nuske" or OTC medicines. In the past 30 years I have fought many times to get prescription meds which cures the problem in 1-2 days instead of a week or more with their approach. With limited vacation/sick time one cannot afford to remain sick for a week.

I was lucky enough to locate one Chinese-American doctor 20+ years back and I hang on to him as my life literally depends on him. He is like Indian doctors, diagnoses issues quickly and gives strong medicine to bring me back to normal in couple of days. Other PCP I have come across, I call them "Tylenol doctors". They are mix of Desi, Chinese and white who have been ineffective in treatment of regular ailments.

You can probably apply for the https://nationalopioidsettlement.com/ even though your doctor might suffer the collateral damage.

[nodegree]

Some people are dying in ER room after waiting for a long period. There is a shortage of nurses, technician, doctors and beds in the emergency. We discovered that few months back.

Fatal delay: Federal probe reveals Vallejo man died at Kaiser ER after 8-hour wait for chest pain treatment

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigatio ... r/3590464/

Also there is a long wait (2-3 weeks) to get appt from specialists. If you are lucky you may get immediate slot if someone cancels. I have also noticed many doctors and Urgent Care do not prescribe strong medication to cure your ailment, out of fear of malpractice lawsuit. Many of the corporate hospital staff get direction from the legal department to give "gharelu nuske" or OTC medicines. In the past 30 years I have fought many times to get prescription meds which cures the problem in 1-2 days instead of a week or more with their approach. With limited vacation/sick time one cannot afford to remain sick for a week.

I was lucky enough to locate one Chinese-American doctor 20+ years back and I hang on to him as my life literally depends on him. He is like Indian doctors, diagnoses issues quickly and gives strong medicine to bring me back to normal in couple of days. Other PCP I have come across, I call them "Tylenol doctors". They are mix of Desi, Chinese and white who have been ineffective in treatment of regular ailments.

Yeah, no thanks.

[old-spice2]

Yeah, no thanks.

Everyone is free to follow their beliefs or live where they feel comfortable. I for one do not want to suffer for 1-2 weeks for common ailments for which effective precription medicines are available and most of the doctors in US are s** scared to write them due to lawsuits. Ultimately it is the patient who suffers. An illness that can be cured in 1-2 days takes more than a week and alongwith the suffering/pain that goes with it.

No thanks, I will chose the Indian way and enjoy a healthy life than suffer politics of these scoundrel insurance companies and lawyers.

Sometime I wonder how these pharma companies make money when most of the time I went to UC or other PCP, they do not give right medication instead in Hindi they say "tharka dete hai" by directing me to Tylenol and warm cloth. I do not pay thousands in premium for these grandma advice.

For the past three days was suffering from diarrhea. I called few UC and backed out as they will say "drink warm water' or let it run its course. Luckily my favorite doc was available for Zoom consultation. He prescribed Cipro and with three doses the problem was resolved. Earlier I was worried what if this guy retires. Now r2i solved that issue!

Another news that appeared today that proves my point about ineffectiveness of most of the OTC medicines.

FDA says decongestant in many cold medicines doesn’t work. So what does
https://apnews.com/article/sudafed-deco ... eb16579798

[SAPPORO]

Yeah, no thanks.

Everyone is free to follow their beliefs or live where they feel comfortable. I for one do not want to suffer for 1-2 weeks for common ailments for which effective precription medicines are available and most of the doctors in US are s** scared to write them due to lawsuits. Ultimately it is the patient who suffers. An illness that can be cured in 1-2 days takes more than a week and alongwith the suffering/pain that goes with it,

No thanks, I will chose the Indian way and enjoy a healthy life than suffer politics of these scoundrel insurance companies and lawyers.

Sometime I wonder how these pharma companies make money when most of the time I went to UC or other PCP, they do not give right medication instead in Hindi they say "tharka dete hai" by directing me to Tylenol and warm cloth. I do not pay thousands in premium for these grandma advice.

For the past three days was suffering from diarrhea. I tried few UC and backed out as they will say "drink warm water' or let it run its course. Luckily my favorite doc was available for Zoom consultation. He prescribed Cipro and with three doses the problem was resolved. Earlier I was worried what if this guy retires. Now r2i solved that issue!

Another news that appeared today that proves my point about ineffectiveness of most of the OTC medicines.

FDA says decongestant in many cold medicines doesn’t work. So what does
https://apnews.com/article/sudafed-deco ... eb16579798

I see your point. But you're too old to live in the bay area and seeing only Desis around you, you can easily mistake it for India hoping to get strong medications without any accountability. Here in Florida, you can get plenty of pain medications tailored to each part of the body. In fact, "which part of the body is hurting" is the first question I get asked when I call the hospitals here to schedule even unrelated appointments.

[Returning_Indian]

Medicare costs have risen from some $460 billion in 2011 to $830 billion now. This is a very steep rise. It's projected to go from 10% to nearly 20% of federal budget. That too for huge increase in Medicare costs . This is the money US doesn't have. Medicare receipts from working people pay roll tax will just be 25% while rest primarily coming from general budget. This is just insane for a country thats living on borrowing means.

What this means is that either they will increase the age for Medicare or reduce benefits or increase premiums or maybe payroll tax. But how much can they do all these when Medicare costs are rising at such rapid pace.

Older people are living longer, getting expensive treatments to extend their lives by meagre days/months etc etc. this will only add further strain to already depleted resources as more baby boomers retire and join the ranks of sickly.

[nodegree]

...
What this means is that either they will increase the age for Medicare or reduce benefits or increase premiums or maybe payroll tax.
...

If I were to guess they'll do all the above i.e. increase the age for Medicare enrollment, reduce the benefits, increase the premiums for those enrolled and finally yes hike the current payroll medicare taxes (or make more income subject to NIIT).