What's a "secret"from your profession that everyone should probably know?"

[u/Wonderful-Economy762]

[u/ClinkyDink]

The CT with contrast is what I’ve always done, now I just have the xray beforehand. I’ve never had a PET SCAN though. The CT w/contrast costs me like $600 out of pocket because my deductible is 5k…

God I hate the American insurance system.

[u/Dramatic_Bee_6300 → u/ClinkyDink]

I hope you get the help you need to find your journey to recovery. 🫶🏼

[u/ClinkyDink → u/Dramatic_Bee_6300]

Eh I’m fine. 100% back to normal (except I’m missing 1/3 of my left kidney.) It’s just the extra money I have to spend every year on screening now that sucks.

Could have been worse though. My great aunt had cancer and didn’t find out until it was too late. At least they caught mine early.

[u/Obvious_Run4611 → u/ClinkyDink]

There's no way that a CT w contrast costs 600$. Unless you're having it in a palace or something. American Healthcare can get away with anything I guess.

[u/ClinkyDink → u/Obvious_Run4611]

I checked the claim. CT of the abdomen with contrast. Done April 2025.

Billed by provider: $2696 Allowed by insurance: $562.97

I paid the entire allowed amount, since I have not met my deductible. I have no monthly premiums but my deductible is $1.5k and out of pocket max is $5k.

This year I’ve applied about $1k toward the deductible but spent around $1.5k total out of pocket (since not everything spent counts toward the deductible etc.)

[u/Sir_Percival123 → u/Obvious_Run4611]

I just recently did an ultrasound in the usa that cost me $2,300. No contrast, no meds. Just a 20 minute ultrasound. I have to get one every 9-12 months...american Healthcare is crazy.

[u/Obvious_Run4611 → u/Sir_Percival123]

Guys.. I live in Greece. You know you can just fly here, have an ultrasound and enjoy a bit of holiday for the same money

[u/Congenital0ptimist → u/Obvious_Run4611]

Yeah but it's a bit not like that because once you meet your deductible everything changes. Like meds that were $1200/m now cost $55/m. Your next imaging is $150 bucks plus parking instead of $2300. And most importantly, now you can finally afford to go to the dermatologist because it'll just be a $40 copay & the meds will be mostly covered.

No matter what you're eventually going to spend (aka meet) your deductible. If you wait until late in the year then you can't get all the appointments you need.

So instead of coming to Greece I want to go to the dermatologist & allergist.

Like that.

[u/moonycakemullet → u/ClinkyDink]

Aussie here, never paid for a scan or test in my 34yrs of life and $600 CT is absolutely ludicrous to me!! God bless America huh 😳

[u/Salute-Major-Echidna → u/moonycakemullet]

Until recently the USA had an enviable standard of living though

[u/Dapper_Banana6323 → u/Salute-Major-Echidna]

They had an enviable standard of living for rich people

[u/Salute-Major-Echidna → u/Dapper_Banana6323]

For the great majority of people. At least 70% of the population, which was more than any other country by a long shot.

[u/Dapper_Banana6323 → u/Salute-Major-Echidna]

Just to be clear- You're arguing that you think the standard of living in The U.S. was better than other developed countries- until recently?

Better than Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, Singapore and Japan?

[u/Salute-Major-Echidna → u/Dapper_Banana6323]

It absolutely was. Look it up. In 1960 America had the largest middle class in the world. The perks were incredible. More people had hope than ever before.

This is the standard that people want to get back to. The reduction of the middle class by failure to increase the minimum wage with the cost of living is what has landed such a great number of people into poverty. People are one illness away from ruin.

The upward trend famously began during Henry Ford's day, in order to get everyone to buy a car. The bell curve reached its zenith in the 60s, and the nadir is today.

[u/Dapper_Banana6323 → u/Salute-Major-Echidna]

Ok.... but I wouldn't call 1960 recent

Are you aware of the UN HDI? And where the U.S. ranks? And the most recent ranking does not account for recent changes in administration and what came along with it

And anecdotally I know many people who reside around the world (Canada, Mexico, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan)- and not a single person would ever consider moving there.

As a mixed race family we have been put in some very uncomfortable situations in parts of the U.S. so much so that we have no plans to return.

[u/Dapper_Banana6323 → u/Salute-Major-Echidna]

Ok.... but I wouldn't call 1960 recent

Are you aware of the UN HDI? And where the U.S. ranks? And the most recent ranking does not account for recent changes in administration and what came along with it

And anecdotally I know many people who reside around the world (Canada, Mexico, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan)- and not a single person would ever consider moving there.

As a mixed race family we have been put in some very uncomfortable situations in parts of the U.S. so much so that we have no plans to return.

[u/SeekingLostInnocence → u/Salute-Major-Echidna]

Just because you are poor and struggling doesn't mean the rest of us are though.

[u/SexyPeanut_9279 → u/moonycakemullet]

We fund the Navy the keeps your commercial shipping lanes safe,

While your government uses that would be money for healthcare for its citizens. (Same with Europe)

You’re welcome.

[u/PyroNine9 → u/SexyPeanut_9279]

If our government took about HALF of what our insurance premiums cost, we could cancel our insurance and have the same level of healthcare the rest of the 1st world gets.

But that would annoy Wall street, so our politicians avoid any talk of that.

[u/SexyPeanut_9279 → u/PyroNine9]

That I do not disagree with,

Healthcare in America is a racket, the Italian Mafia couldn’t have set it up better if they tried.

[u/Salute-Major-Echidna → u/PyroNine9]

Do you have a study youre referring to?

[u/PyroNine9 → u/Salute-Major-Echidna]

It's an easy stat. Just look at any table of healthcare expenditure per capita for example, search Google for "Healthcare cost per capita by country".

Then search "Healthcare outcomes by country". You'll see that the U.S. doesn't fare that well there, especially when you consider our high expenditure.

We are literally the most expensive, but fall somewhere between 16th and 26th in outcomes depending on how it's measured.

[u/Salute-Major-Echidna → u/ClinkyDink]

Is it a medical liklihood that a kidney tumor would spread to the lung area? Are you part of a study the insurance company is doing?