Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by CodingJeebus 29 days ago
The healthcare affordability crisis is only going to exacerbate the trend of using AI as a replacement for a real doctor. I went to urgent care a few months ago to get tested for COVID and two other flu strains and it came out to almost $500.

Anecdotally, several people in my life who embrace less traditional (and sometimes more conspiratorial) views on modern healthcare tend to be the ones that can't afford it. A confident-sounding chatbot to answer questions day and night about what's going on with your body is very seductive in a world where access to real healthcare is getting further and further out of reach.
2 comments
doublepg23 29 days ago
> I went to urgent care a few months ago to get tested for COVID and two other flu strains and it came out to almost $500.

They have at-home COVID+Flu tests are my local CVS for $35, why go to an urgent care?

link
engeljohnb 29 days ago
That's the balance I'm finding it very hard to strike when talking to my family about doctors.

Everyone is either a "all doctors are scams" QAnon type, or they blindly trust everything their doctor says, no matter how fishy, in fear of coming off as one of the former group.

And, to use a phrase we all hate by now, you're absolutely right. When most people have to go into debt to even see a doctor, what can people possibly conclude from that besides "all doctors are out to scam you?"

link