First of all, check this link. And after that, check this one. I somehow trust these American commenters here.
Healthcare in the USA is indeed outrageously expensive. Even if you have insurance, you still have to pay for everything from the general practitioner to the specialist. And this only includes the consultation, not the medication, treatment, or diagnosis. Of course, there are government employees who have favorable packages, but the system there is absolutely shitty.
For those who think Hungarian healthcare sucks:
Average Cost for ER Visits in the USA:
In 2019, the average cost for an ER visit by an insured patient was $1,082. Those who were uninsured spent an average of $1,220. Average costs can vary by state and illness but range from $623-$3,087. Beyond that, costs are determined by the hospital, which can vary widely from location to location.
Some of the cost factors include:
Supplies used Medications given Number of attending doctors, nurses, and ancillary staff Tests required Equipment used.
Here in Hungary, I was taken to the hospital by ambulance last year. The entire care, including examination, infusion, medications, diagnosis, and consultation, was free. And as a taxpayer, the health insurance I pay for is nothing compared to what you pay in the USA.
In the US, hospital costs depend on the hospital, its location, the patient’s insurance coverage, and more. They can vary wildly. The average per-day hospital cost in the U.S. is $2,883, with California ($4,181) being the most expensive, and Mississippi ($1,305) the least. The average hospital stay is 4.6 days, at an average cost of $13,262.
If surgery is involved, hospital costs soar through the roof. Some of the most common surgeries have price tags that top $100,000.
My wife had a minor gynecological surgery last year, a few days and it was free. In the US, this would have cost about $20,000, and this does not include the medications. When do you pay off this with your insurance in Hungary?! I know we pay for insurance here, but it would hurt much more to pay thousands of dollars.
And to beg the doctor for a prescription, pay hundreds of dollars to redeem the medication while here it is just a few thousand HUF? There a box of anti-anxiety meds cost about 50,000 HUF. Antibiotics 30,000. These are penny things here.
And fertility treatment?! There one piece is about 10 million forints, at least. Even in other countries. Here? You get 5 treatments for free.
Of course, there are those whose expectations are a bit high, and they expect and lick their ass in addition to the five-time fully free fertility treatment and prefer to pay and go abroad. What can I say?
In America, they won’t even answer the phone for less than $1,000! Think about it accordingly.