Simply Being | Simple Being

Cost of health

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.