I’m sorry you have gone through the same thing! I wish I was an outlier case, but I’m a common story and so are you. I wish I had the means to emigrate to Canada or Europe. Anywhere with universal healthcare. We also owe thousands in medical debt and we’re going to owe thousands more this year! I’m guessing it’s the same for you.
So I had $50,000 debt from my misdiagnosed appendicitis that turned gangrenous, which I could never pay. Fortunately, after a year of getting collections called on me and losing everything I had ever saved, a charity paid all but several thousand on my behalf.
Then before I could pay off those thousands, I was involunantarily put in the psych ward and dumped out a couple days later with no ride home: $8000 (still paying, still accruing interest)
Then my celiac/severe lactose intolerance diagnoses cost several thousand, I don’t even know, I stopped keeping track
And through all this, the only times I didn’t have to wait months were when my appendix had turned gangrenous and was about to kill me, and when the cops put me in custody.
I’ve had a toothache for a couple years, but I haven’t gone into the dentist because … that’s more thousands, for sure. I’m thinking about taking out dental insurance, but is it worth it? I’ve had it in the past, and I still paid thousands out of pocket.
I can’t even express what I’d give to have access to just basic healthcare.
Oh, and not that this should matter, but I’ve always done everything “right.” I put what I could in savings (wasn’t enough), I’ve worked 40+ hours a week, I’ve tried to always have insurance (except the year that I got appendicitis because my employer opted not to rehire me when they learned that I was gay).
We probably can’t migrate to Canada, probably not Norway (even though I have family there), but we’ve talked about Mexico where he’s from, where even though it’s not really socialized, at least it’s not so far out of reach for us.
Sorry, didn’t mean to make this all about me. I feel like the people who oppose universal healthcare are people who are rich enough to at least never have to go through this sort of thing and can deceive themselves into thinking what we have now is working.
I’m really sorry you had to go through all of that. I’m not going to list all of my current health issues, but the dentist one I can certainly sympathize with because I have a nerve disorder in my face and that means if I go to a dentist, I have to be put under completely or I will probably start screaming. I can’t afford that, so I have to live with what I know for sure is a cavity.
In Canada, certain yackadoodles are trying to fight tooth and nail to privatize healthcare. I hope Europe’s doing at least a bit better on that front.
It’s stupidly short-sighted. Many of the people who are voting for privatizing healthcare will almost definitely need public healthcare within the next decade or so. Pension plans only pay so much. Retirement savings only last so long, and people are living longer. It’s not like the people who can’t afford a house or even post secondary schooling will be able to cover those extra costs for their parents/grandparents. It’s all fun and games until you see a bill with more than four zeros, and realize that you only have the three zeros in your account to last you for the rest of your life.
Of course, they’ll probably just blame the younger people for it. I don’t get it, I really don’t. We could be making progress, but that would make sense, and it doest seem like you’re allowed to do that anymore.
Best of luck, man. I hope everything works out for you sooner than later.
I’m sorry you have gone through the same thing! I wish I was an outlier case, but I’m a common story and so are you. I wish I had the means to emigrate to Canada or Europe. Anywhere with universal healthcare. We also owe thousands in medical debt and we’re going to owe thousands more this year! I’m guessing it’s the same for you.
Oh yeah, I’ve dreamed about the same!
So I had $50,000 debt from my misdiagnosed appendicitis that turned gangrenous, which I could never pay. Fortunately, after a year of getting collections called on me and losing everything I had ever saved, a charity paid all but several thousand on my behalf.
Then before I could pay off those thousands, I was involunantarily put in the psych ward and dumped out a couple days later with no ride home: $8000 (still paying, still accruing interest)
Then my celiac/severe lactose intolerance diagnoses cost several thousand, I don’t even know, I stopped keeping track
And through all this, the only times I didn’t have to wait months were when my appendix had turned gangrenous and was about to kill me, and when the cops put me in custody.
I’ve had a toothache for a couple years, but I haven’t gone into the dentist because … that’s more thousands, for sure. I’m thinking about taking out dental insurance, but is it worth it? I’ve had it in the past, and I still paid thousands out of pocket.
I can’t even express what I’d give to have access to just basic healthcare.
Oh, and not that this should matter, but I’ve always done everything “right.” I put what I could in savings (wasn’t enough), I’ve worked 40+ hours a week, I’ve tried to always have insurance (except the year that I got appendicitis because my employer opted not to rehire me when they learned that I was gay).
We probably can’t migrate to Canada, probably not Norway (even though I have family there), but we’ve talked about Mexico where he’s from, where even though it’s not really socialized, at least it’s not so far out of reach for us.
Sorry, didn’t mean to make this all about me. I feel like the people who oppose universal healthcare are people who are rich enough to at least never have to go through this sort of thing and can deceive themselves into thinking what we have now is working.
I’m really sorry you had to go through all of that. I’m not going to list all of my current health issues, but the dentist one I can certainly sympathize with because I have a nerve disorder in my face and that means if I go to a dentist, I have to be put under completely or I will probably start screaming. I can’t afford that, so I have to live with what I know for sure is a cavity.
I’m pretty sure mine is a cavity, too. I just try to chew on the other side of my mouth and keep it as clean as I can.
Weirdly, mine hurt a lot for a long time and now it only hurts a little. It’s not a dead tooth or anything so I’m not sure what’s going on.
In Canada, certain yackadoodles are trying to fight tooth and nail to privatize healthcare. I hope Europe’s doing at least a bit better on that front.
It’s stupidly short-sighted. Many of the people who are voting for privatizing healthcare will almost definitely need public healthcare within the next decade or so. Pension plans only pay so much. Retirement savings only last so long, and people are living longer. It’s not like the people who can’t afford a house or even post secondary schooling will be able to cover those extra costs for their parents/grandparents. It’s all fun and games until you see a bill with more than four zeros, and realize that you only have the three zeros in your account to last you for the rest of your life.
Of course, they’ll probably just blame the younger people for it. I don’t get it, I really don’t. We could be making progress, but that would make sense, and it doest seem like you’re allowed to do that anymore.
Best of luck, man. I hope everything works out for you sooner than later.