A study by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health found that avoidable mortality rose across all U.S. states from 2009 to 2021, while it declined in most other high-income countries.
That does make sense, and although I guess it’s good that there are ultra low-cost options available, there’s that old adage about “getting what you pay for” to a certain extent.
That is exorbitant for most people for a basic doctor’s visit. Federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr. Takes an entire work week for a minimum wage worker to afford a doctor’s visit.
As other’s have explained to you, that is just a visit. It covers nothing else. No medication, no tests, no referrals. Just to talk to the Nurse Practitioner for 15 minutes. You will not be talking to the doctor.
Just brutal, I can’t imagine losing my job and home because I got sick. It’s been the case for many thousands of years typically, but it just seems so arbitrarily cruel to know that there’s a better system that’s been adapted (matter of opinion, I know), but strike it from consideration altogether because of the business model surrounding American healthcare. Paying higher taxes kind of sucks, but at least I’ve never had to remortgage for serious injuries.
Typically, out of pocket no insurance cost for primary care physician visit is around $200-300.
If you know the doctor, maybe $100 if he or she does a sliding scale.
That’s encouraging, at least. It’s not cheap per se, but definitely not as exorbitant as I assumed.
For most lower income Americans that can be cost prohibitive.
There are some lower cost options:
CVS and some other retailers have mini clinics where you see a nurse practitioner. Out of pocket these visits can be $50-100 out of pocket.
Some hospitals and health departments offer free clinics but they are often busy.
Online options have become more popular but they often are limited to very simple issues (e.g. sinus infections, allergies, etc).
This assumes you don’t need a prescription or labs.
From a prescription standpoint, Walmart still offers $4 prescriptions for very common drugs. Again out of pocket.
Labs your sort of SOL.
That does make sense, and although I guess it’s good that there are ultra low-cost options available, there’s that old adage about “getting what you pay for” to a certain extent.
That is exorbitant for most people for a basic doctor’s visit. Federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr. Takes an entire work week for a minimum wage worker to afford a doctor’s visit.
As other’s have explained to you, that is just a visit. It covers nothing else. No medication, no tests, no referrals. Just to talk to the Nurse Practitioner for 15 minutes. You will not be talking to the doctor.
Just brutal, I can’t imagine losing my job and home because I got sick. It’s been the case for many thousands of years typically, but it just seems so arbitrarily cruel to know that there’s a better system that’s been adapted (matter of opinion, I know), but strike it from consideration altogether because of the business model surrounding American healthcare. Paying higher taxes kind of sucks, but at least I’ve never had to remortgage for serious injuries.