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by retiredcoder 2554 days ago
The problem to me looks here

> The ER bill was about $50k and she decided that the best way to pay it was by creating a GoFundMe campaign before she even tried to negotiate with the hospital or fight it with the insurance.

For me it sounds like she could have done more on her own to solve this problem before “socializing” the solution.

PS: Yes, healthcare is broken but at the end, she as a resident knows that and when someone comes to visit it is her responsibility to advise or buy a travelers insurance. It is not that expensive.
2 comments
paxys 2554 days ago
Honestly most people who haven't dealt with the healthcare system before wouldn't even consider that negotiating your freaking hospital bill is an option. No sane person would (especially if they grew up in another country).
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DanBC 2554 days ago
> It is not that expensive.

It's prohibitively expensive for a wide range of people not in perfect health.

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lbatx 2554 days ago
No, travel insurance is not. They don't even ask health questions. The cost is based on the cost of your trip, and can be as little as $50-$100 for a decent plan on a $5k trip, and about $500 for a year.
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netizzio 2554 days ago
They might not ask health questions, but if you're not careful and don't disclose anything material, they're probably going to find a way to get out of paying when it comes to it.

Travel insurance for older people with prior conditions can be expensive. My parents visited the US for a few weeks and their insurance cost something like $800 with a $500 deductible. Wasn't even that good either, with a stack of pages with terms and conditions. Fortunately they didn't have to use it.

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FabHK 2552 days ago
In Germany, I pay about 12 USD per year for a travel insurance that covers an unlimited number of trips up to two months each, including repatriation if medically advised.
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DanBC 2554 days ago
This article is about people who've had cancer at some point in their lives, even if they're currently cancer free and not having any treatment. That's what the FCA report focused on, but this problem affects 15 million people in the UK.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44601046

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