Dad just told me the story of a Punjabi lady who was visiting her son in US. She had no medical insurance. One morning, she slipped and fractured her wrist. It swelled up so much that the doctor said that he couldn’t help her until the swelling reduced. The cost of that consultation came up to $5000. After a few days, she went back to the doctor who determined that she needed an operation. His fee alone would be close to $30,000 and hospital expenses were additional. The son immediately booked a flight to India where the entire operation was completed within Rs. 20,000.
I haven’t spent time figuring out the intricacies of the health care reform debate raging in the US today. I know the basics but not so much the details. Maybe I should dig in deeper – who pays, who pays how much, why does someone pay and not the other, job-linked insurance, etc. etc. etc…. What throws me off is the sheer cost of treatment. It is so bloated and inflated and I-cannot-think-of-an-appropriate-adjective. I can hardly claim that the health care system in India is flawless – shameful as it may be to admit, I am rather clueless about it.
But this story makes me think that if I ever have to make a similar decision regarding my health or that of my loved ones, God forbid, I will probably book a flight ticket to India.
Lakshmi says:
You’re so right. I feel that in India, doctors rely on their experience and intuition as opposed to hundreds of diagnostic tests that work on eliminating probable causes rather than identifying the right one.
I know families that still contact their Ayurvedic/Homeopathic doctors in India and get the medicines by mail than visit any medical practitioners here… I can see myself doing the exact same thing.
September 29, 2009 — 2:23 am
onceupon says:
My dad was living in Thailand when I was in high school, and I would spend the summers there, visiting. I got 9/10ths of my health care-related needs taken care of there. New glasses? Check. Two pairs with awesome frames. Teeth cleaned and a filling? Check.
No insurance, but it was still well within our ability to pay for it.
meanwhile, here, when I lost my insurance I lost my ability to pay for the meds I need to keep breathing and had to order them from Canada, which is technically illegal.
There is something deeply broken here.
September 29, 2009 — 2:40 am
Lakshmi says:
There is something deeply broken here.
Hate to sound pessimistic but I really wonder if it’ll change.
Have you tried any kind of breathing techniques/yoga for your breathing issues? Both my Mom and aunt have benefitted immensely from practising them.
September 29, 2009 — 2:53 am
onceupon says:
I HOPE it does but… That’s why I have a dayjob that provides insurance in the meantime.
I use a neti pot every day (sometimes more than that) and use the yoga breathing techniques fairly often – it really does make a big difference. I think if I were not in Florida, which is covered with mold spores and dust mites, that might be enough. As it is, without the meds I wheeze. 🙁
September 29, 2009 — 2:56 am
suddenlynita says:
seen the movie Sicko?
According to the movie,going to Canada for treatment or for that matter to France seems like a good idea 😛
September 29, 2009 — 4:15 am
on9thheaven says:
The cost of healthcare is so high here due to fear of lawsuits. The docs want their a$$’es covered – God forbid someone would charge them for negligence, etc.
Tell me of a case in India where a doc got sued?
Its a pity though that if someone can’t afford insurance, then they have to suffer (not only the ones visiting this country). And while I understand that people can mis-use any system, its important to receive basic care.
*off my soapbox* :))
September 29, 2009 — 3:19 pm
Lakshmi says:
Then it’s even worse. The reason medical costs are high is NOT that cost of equipment/medicines/procedures is high BUT because there is a huge portion of the cost that is purely to protect the medical practitioners… that just seems so wrong.
I remember reading someplace that the US is a place that thrives on lawsuits. En route to work, there is a billboard that advertises this site http://www.whocanIsue.com. While it’s good to have consumer protection, this just takes it too far. Firstly, doctors are too scared to rely on their experience and intuition while diagnosing anything – instead they rely on countless test results – many of which may not even be required. All actions are undertaken from a space of fear and ‘let me cover my backside’ attitude… It just seems like a very distorted mindset to operate out of.
October 2, 2009 — 12:57 am
iyer_the_gr8 says:
Welcome to the debate
Welcome to the health care debate. One thing to note though is that the reform that is languishing in Congress currently is not to reduce the cost that people would have to pay if they become sick and are uninsured; it only reforms the insurance premium that people have to pay to cover for the exorbitant costs.
September 30, 2009 — 2:38 pm