> I like the US healthcare system as much as anyone

I can't tell if you're being serious. I'm not American but all of my American friends tell me the US healthcare system is an absolute nightmare

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xnx 13 hours ago | parent | next [-]

That phrasing may not translate well. "as much as anyone" means "Most people don't like it, and I don't like it either.".

My criticism of the analysis is not a defense of US healthcare.

	▲	airstrike 12 hours ago \| parent [-]
		s/like/dislike would have made it easier to understand at the expense of missing out on the (possibly accidental) sarcasm which makes the comment more rewarding to those who did understand it

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strictnein 12 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

People like to complain about things and have very unrealistic perceptions of what other systems are like. It's also really unpopular online to say good things about the US healthcare system. It definitely has some issues, but it also does some things really, really well.

These are, of course, anecdotes, but here some things from my life:

- Next day MRI for my wife after she injured her back at the gym. Had it been more serious she would have been seen the same day.

- Friend's kid was diagnosed with leukemia. They were admitted to the cancer ward the next day, where they stayed for months. The room was large, with a pull out double bed for my friend and his wife to sleep on. The same thing happened with my cousin when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

- Our kids were both born at one of the "poor" hospitals in the largest city in our state. We were the only ones on the floor who shared the same last name, and most patients did not speak English. It was excellent. We had our own room (with bathroom, shower, small bed for me to sleep on), great staff, etc.

- Urgent care available 7 days a week at numerous locations within a 5-10 minute drive from my home. Typically a 15-20 minute wait for things like stitches, burns, dislocated fingers, etc.

- Nice pharmacies all over the place, which also provide things like vaccinations. Lots of our medications are now just shipped to our house directly

- The small surgeries I've needed have been done within 2-3 weeks of meeting with my primary care doctor. If they would have been more serious, the timeline would have been significantly shorter, within a day or two. Things like colonoscopies are also available within a number of weeks.

- The hospital system we use has done a really good job embracing technology. The app/website they offer can be used to view all of your test results, message the doctors or nurses, schedule appointments, etc

	▲	brianwawok 12 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Right if you have insurance it’s pretty good. I’m happy. Most complaints you see are when you fall outside of that.
	▲	FireBeyond 11 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		> - Next day MRI for my wife after she injured her back at the gym. Had it been more serious she would have been seen the same day. I had same-day CT for suspected diverticulitis/kidney stones. I had same day x-ray, ultrasound for hyperextension of my wrist (steering wheel airbag going off pushed my hand backwards towards my elbow)... all good. I was told to start PT immediately... ... "we can see you in 8-10 weeks." "We're not accepting new patients". "In 3 months, does that work?" I've also worked for 14 years as a paramedic and EMT, and seen first hand the sheer number of simple things that become acute care issues requiring the ER that could have been prevented by simple access to a primary care provider. > Nice pharmacies all over the place, which also provide things like vaccinations. Lots of our medications are now just shipped to our house directly My insurer will only authorize 90 day prescriptions if you use their wholly owned pharmaceutical subsidiary. Otherwise they will deny anything longer than 30 days for no medical reason. They still charge precisely 3x30 days, but they just want exclusivity with their own vertical integration (which, conveniently, is exempt from laws on insurer profit margins - the only way for an insurer to make more money per capita is if healthcare, including pharma, costs go up).

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room271 13 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

'as much as anyone' = they don't like it

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Insanity 13 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

It’s definitely a sarcastic comment lol.