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Just to give you context from abroad, in America insurance plans have no legal minimum standard of care so there is a dramatic variation in coverage. But generally copays on an decent insurance plan are $25-50 for a primary GP visit. Generally medication maxes out at $50-75 per covered medication, but getting actually getting something covered is a bitch, and is usually like 10-25 bucks for regular medication, and you can save more by buying 3-6 month supplies.
If you are low income AND in a state with expanded medicaid subsidies, IF those subsidies keep getting expanded, you get access to medicaid. Which is a fantastic program that is basically single payer health insurance. All care is free, its accepted by 95% of places, its cost effective for the tax payer, etc…
Couple of big problems here though is that there’s no good public option for still struggling middle income earners, and lots of people don’t apply for Medicaid (especially homeless people); So this causes a lot of debt that the healthcare system doesn’t get paid for (especially emergency rooms which can’t deny people), which means to compensate they have to charge insane prices for everything. Thats why an ambulance is $1500.
Medication is expensive for a different reason, but thats all greed and profit there… I’m sure your system does it better
OK that sounds ass loads better then the internet had me believe.
I've a few questions if you don't mind and some observations...
The minimum level of coverage here for health insurance is pretty high given the alternative of free public care but they do have quite a few perks including money back for GP visits and "swift care" centres dotted around. We had to bring my young lad to one after he busted his lip badly and needed a stitch. We were in and out in under thirty minutes for 50 euro.
That's really the edge case if where health insurance for kids is used. It's very cheap.
One of the things I love about the US is the bulk buying. Last time I was there I bought 500 Ibuprofen for pennies. You can't do that here. 48 is the max without a prescription and even generic are comparatively expensive.
I did forget to mention that all prescribed meds are free for low income.
Is that access free?
It truly all depends on your insurance. If you have decent insurance it is absolutely still a functional system.
But like to give you an idea of the bad end, some plans have no copays and a flat $5000 deductible, so your paying the full out of pocket price of $400-600 a visit until you hit that deductible, then after the deductible they will still leave you to pay the last 30%. Absolutely could bankrupt somebody if shit goes bad. Makes every little visit a massive expense.
And even with the best insurance, all the insurers love to make you submit an application for every little thing to get it covered, which they love to endlessly deny until you give up out of exhaustion.
To answer your question, yes medicaid is completely free. It really is a great program despite how much shit it gets, and is some of my proudest tax dollars :)