|
|
|
|
|
|
by refurb
3044 days ago
|
|
|
The US has a socialized system of healthcare. It's indirect in the sense that if you can't pay you get covered anyways and the hospital takes a loss. If you're low income you get Medicaid, if you're old you get Medicare. People with cancer who get no treatment at all in the US is very rare and usually something else is happening behind the scenes. |
|
|
Due to the housing meltdown, many people have underwater realty of negative value, yet this asset disqualifies many low cost programs.
The asset limits are very low on Medicaid ($2k individual, $3k couple)
Even medicare is quite low ($7.5k, $11.5k). To qualify, you must effectively divest all your assets and it becomes an insurance bet with the state that you'll die quickly. (@ $7k/month for a nursing home, its not a very good bet)
If you can't pay hospitals and nursing homes kick you out, just happened to a friend. Medicare wouldn't pay for more than two months of care -> on the street.
For most people, the value of selling their house (say $100k, would pay for only 1 year of senior care in the US)
Even better, the care is often lackluster for the cost. (Admittedly at $7k/month I would be expecting marble floors and gold faucets)