|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 23, 2023 18:56:03 GMT
I could have put this in the free clinic, but it seemed more appropriate here, where we can discuss the pros and cons of our various systems. But to start off, here is a very serious discussion about health care in the United States.
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 23, 2023 21:22:50 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 6, 2024 22:08:02 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by whatagain on Jan 8, 2024 14:17:29 GMT
My additional health insurance - the one on top of the mandatory one, so that I can choose whatever hospital and be upgraded in single room for example cost 4400 last year and went to 5200 € this year (yearly, for 4 of us).
I was glad I could cancel it since my employer pays for it now.
Still about 20pc increase…
|
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Jan 31, 2024 10:00:03 GMT
Our son has been trying to arrange an appointment to see our GP. Yesterday he rang the surgery at 0800 and was 25th in the queue. Knowing how difficult it was to even get connected, he hung on. For 52 minutes. When he finally got an answer he was told that we can no longer arrange an appointment to see our GP over the telephone or in person at the surgery. We have to go to an NHS website and enter our details. We then answer a few questions and will be directed to our local pharmacy, 111 (a telephone/online NHS service), A&E (in an emergency) or we MAY be allowed to request an appointment with our Doctor either face to face or over the telephone. It's all very lengthy and annoying. So far he's been told that he needs to see a GP in person, but that there are no appointments free so he will have to go through it all again tomorrow. No booking ahead. Tried again today. No joy.
What a time to be alive.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Jan 31, 2024 11:25:34 GMT
That’s seriously awful Cheery. At least we are able to still ring and get same day appointments. Both grandsons have done that in the last fortnight.
|
|
|
|
Post by whatagain on Jan 31, 2024 11:37:41 GMT
What a mess.
One of those days a solution will be to jump in a Eurostar and call a GP upon arrival in paris or Bruxelles …
|
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Jan 31, 2024 12:00:49 GMT
There are lots of complaints about "medical deserts" in France -- often rural places where there are few doctors, many of whom are putting off retiring because there are no replacements. The government finally increased the number of places in medical schools a few years ago but it takes about 10 years to train a doctor so there are no results for now.
Of course, any suggestion that there are things that could be done by midwives or pharmacists (for example, vaccinations like during covid) is immediately criticized by the medical profession.
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 12:07:43 GMT
Well, French pharmacists are now authorised to do vaccinations and that's where I get mine. They can also continue standard prescriptions when it has not been possible to see a doctor.
The website Doctolib has become very popular since covid and now operates in France, Germany and Italy. It lets you make appointments online and shows you all of the availabilities in the area that interests you, often the same day. Of course I know that Paris is a medical paradise compared to rural areas, but we often don't want to go more than two or three metro stations to get medical attention while rural people are used to driving 50 kilometres.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Jan 31, 2024 12:21:15 GMT
But do you pay?
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 13:20:32 GMT
No, of course not, if you have EU health coverage.
At least that's how it is in France. I don't know about Germany or Italy.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Jan 31, 2024 14:00:14 GMT
I’m not an expert on EU health coverage surprisingly.
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 14:48:12 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jan 31, 2024 15:42:07 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 15:56:57 GMT
Of course health care is not free. I currently pay 85€ a month and that covers everything except optional optical and dental things. No other out-of-pocket expenses in hospital or pharmacy. We pay 26.50€ for a doctor's visit, and that is reimbursed to us.
|
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Jan 31, 2024 16:09:00 GMT
In Germany I'm not sure how you would not pay for health insurance as it is compulsory. I suppose there are special circumstances, but e.g. I don't pay for it because Mrs M does and has a family policy. Unemployed, studying etc I have no idea other than I have experienced one daughter who received free health insurance whilst in full time education but in fact the payee was the government via the University. If you see what I mean. To balance the books someone/some institution/government department will in theory pay depending on your circumstances.
"Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. Everyone who lives in Germany must have health insurance."
"If your income is lower than €66,600 per year, then you have to register with the statutory health insurance scheme like the vast majority of German residents.
This scheme is income-based – every month, you must contribute a percentage of your salary (between 14.6% to 15.6%) to fund it. Employers in Germany also pay half of your health insurance contributions.
In turn, you will receive (practically) free medical care in all public hospitals and clinics in Germany."
If you earn more than the €66,600 per year then you also have the option of taking out private insurance instead which can be tailored to your specific needs and gives you access to more health establishments and (usually) shorter waiting times. This is not necessarily more expensive than the compulsory one. It can work out very expensive though depending on your age, pre-existing conditions and so on.
We've used the same company for decades and they are still rated about the highest for satisfaction, good customer service (which we've had to experience a number of times) and about the largest number of providers who can deal with you.
|
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Jan 31, 2024 16:13:50 GMT
Of course health care is not free. I currently pay 85€ a month and that covers everything except optional optical and dental things. No other out-of-pocket expenses in hospital or pharmacy. We pay 26.50€ for a doctor's visit, and that is reimbursed to us. Are all of your prescriptions completely free (except if needed for the optical/dental bit)?
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 16:34:07 GMT
Yes, I never pay anything at the pharmacy, even for eye and dental products that may be been prescribed (eye drops, mouthwash...).
|
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Jan 31, 2024 16:57:51 GMT
Not same here but nearly. We have an excess of five euros to pay on a prescription if the medication is above a certain sum - that I don't really know what that is. Below that then free. The excess brings down the insurance cost quite a lot, bit like car insurance.
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 17:04:27 GMT
When my mother was still taking Aricept, an Alzheimer drug, the boxes were more than 100€ but no payment was necessary.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Jan 31, 2024 17:20:03 GMT
Of course health care is not free. I currently pay 85€ a month and that covers everything except optional optical and dental things. No other out-of-pocket expenses in hospital or pharmacy. We pay 26.50€ for a doctor's visit, and that is reimbursed to us. So you lied to me. |
|
|
|
Post by fumobici on Jan 31, 2024 17:38:10 GMT
The one Italian hospital I have experience with has no billing department and literally no way to take payments from patients.
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 18:31:18 GMT
Yes, of course. Health care is totally free in the UK since nobody pays for it and it just drifts down out of heaven.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Jan 31, 2024 18:39:43 GMT
We do pay for it of course through taxes.
|
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Jan 31, 2024 18:45:28 GMT
Doesn't everybody? We can go to both state and private hospitals with our deal. I'm sure that you can do the same with the extra £350 million a week for the NHS that Boris Johnson promised with Brexit.
|
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Jan 31, 2024 18:47:21 GMT
Presriptions are free for the over 60s, children and people on certain benefits in England. My niece recently moved to Scotland and prescriptions are free for every Scottish resident there.
One of the medications that our son is prescribed to try to control his crohns disease would cost him over £3,000 per dose (every 4 weeks). A recent MRI scan shows that his condition is actually deteriorating! The medics say that the treatment is preventing a more rapid progression of his condition...but they plan to try another medication...if he ever gets an appointment at the hospital.
|
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Jan 31, 2024 19:01:44 GMT
Kerouac, health care in France is not as "free" as you make it out to be. Out of the (now) 26.50€ a GP visit costs (was 25€ for years), one euro is charged and you are reimbursed 25.50. The same for many medicines, unless you have some special health problem in which case it's indeed free. At the moment, they deduct 50 cents from your reimbursement, but plan to make that one euro.
Of course, compared to countries with no health care, it's very cheap in France, but it's not really free, since taxes in France are high. But because the French tend to think it's free, pharmacies are always full -- you'd think they were giving the stuff away. The French love to take medicine and have all sorts of imaginary maladies, like "heavy legs" and "crise de foie".
|
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Jan 31, 2024 19:12:06 GMT
Doesn't everybody? We can go to both state and private hospitals with our deal. I'm sure that you can do the same with the extra £350 million a week for the NHS that Boris Johnson promised with Brexit. Gawd, you’re an argumentative bugger. |
|
|
|
Post by whatagain on Feb 1, 2024 7:53:45 GMT
Just read that after 4 years a big 22% of the Brits think Brexit is a good deal.
A great 12% when it goes for economy alone.
Still waiting for the Scots to UKexit and join EU...
|
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Feb 1, 2024 13:48:12 GMT
Ahh yes, Brexit. It's about time it came up again. Mind you, if it wasn't that, it'd be something else to have a dig at the British about.
We're a tolerant nation though so we accept it.
|
|
