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And that’s basically it!
There's so, so, so, so, so much I could say about this topic.
Number 1: Why are any of you cunts even coming to the USA anymore? Sincerest apologies for victim blaming, and obviously my stupid ass has not read the article (gonna do that later).
Number 2: US healthcare costs are a scam.
Number 3: Healthcare insurance is a gamified scam.
Do not travel to the US
The problem in this story wasn’t actually the US this time, it was the Swiss insurance company.
I would say the problem also was a very high medical bill of $ 200k.
Yes. You're right. Our healthcare system is absolutely bonkers bananas insane, and that's before you calculate in the cruelty. And as US citizen, I strongly advise everyone who isn't to avoid this country like the plague.
However, if I travel to Switzerland or Canada or Italy or wherever, as a tourist, I am not covered if I go in the hospital. I still need to carry travel insurance, and if I don't, or if it doesn't cover something, then those countries with their modern, sensible healthcare systems will charge me out of pocket, just like an American hospital. The difference is that in America, even the citizens aren't covered by default, and the amounts are astronomical compared to other countries.
It's a shitty system all around, and frankly, I genuinely believe that if it weren't for America's weird fetish for as much money as you can possibly choke on, we would probably have started building an actual universal healthcare system for the global community, so that you're covered by default even when traveling. But like with most things, the right wing nonsense has held us so far back that that is so unlikely as to seem utterly impossible
Yes if you come here to Danmark from the US you will not be covered. But if you are from a country in the EU you will in most cases be covered and don't have to pay anything for being hospitalized.
why would you go there??? this couple was asking for it
Did you see how they were dressed my god
Their baby was born in an American hospital seven weeks early, but the couple said Zurich Insurance Group refused to uphold the policy and cover their costs because the baby was not named in the document.
After a nine month legal battle, Zurich has reversed its decision and told the BBC it was sorry for the stress caused.
The unborn child that isn't allowed to have a name yet needs to be named in the document.
The legal proceedings had more time to mature than the baby lol
Sylvester said the couple "made 100% sure Issy was insured to be pregnant, and any complications involving pregnancy whilst we were abroad were covered".
Sylvester explained: "Essentially what they said is that we would have been covered had the baby not survived. But the fact was that the baby survived."
"We weren't going to be covered for that, because we didn't put his name on the insurance policy."
As someone that wouldn't choose to travel into or through the United States, I can't say I would be surprised if I got back home after this ordeal and the medical bills started showing up. US healthcare will charge for anything under the sun. I half expect visitors will be sent invoices for travelling in the vicinity of a hospital in the near future.
The insurance on question is not American, but from their home country. The ridiculous price is American though
I realise that, my connecting thought was that the hospital looking at their insurance policy should have been able to understand the pregnancy was covered. Even with it being unclear due to the contract's wording, it should have triggered the billing department contacting the insurer for clarification.
That's not how America works though, they operate on a 'invoice first, ask questions later' approach. If one in a thousand bills get paid without question, the superfluousness is considered justified. Oh well, I would add this to my list of reasons to avoid the country if it weren't so long already.
Sounds like skipping the bill and never returning to the US is a great option here, tbh
So is reading the article.
used to be anchor babies, now is trapped in debt babies
Just don't pay, what are they going to do?
Repossess the child.
I mean given all I hear it would not entirely surprise me that they would hold the baby hostage, at best
Hospital: we gonna steal ur baby lol
Parents: oh no, you are going to feed it, bathe it, care for it, educate it, all on your own dime? Oh the humanity
Hospital: wait no not like that-
E: hospital: that's filthy socialism!
Exactly. You're already outside of the country. Let them send you bills. They aren't going to send the FBI to kick in your door because of unpaid bills...
ICE, on the other hand, we send them to do all manner of things outside the US.
As artists that go on tour, the US leg likely provides a significant chunk of their income. If they were just on vacation, that's a different story.
Worth figuring out for them, as it boiled down to an administrative issue with unclear wording in the insurance contract.
This is the Greatest Country In The World, sunny Jim, and you better thank Republican Jesus for our for-profit system! Otherwise you might be forced into free socialist health care, where you have to get vaccines and stuff for nothing, and only a godless communist wants that. /s
And they wonder why our population is free falling. Between trump and it's too expensive, why would the wise ones do that?
insurance in general in the us is increasingly security theater. Not just medical.
Just don't pay it.
Part of why medical bills in the US are so high is because if you don't pay them, they sell the debt to collections at pennies on the dollar.
Which means that the people who do pay the high prices are paying for those who don't or can't or won't.
Stop paying.