• JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
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    9 hours ago

    I’m sure you need to be a Mexican citizen to qualify for the program, I imagine foreigners get a bill. But I’m an American that expects a crippling bill from medical care so I have a bias.

    • BCsven@lemmy.ca
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      5 hours ago

      We have free at point of service health care in Canada for those signed up to the plan. You don’t have to be a citizen just a resident and wait your 2 month grace period. For tourists and non signed up folks you pay the costs out of pocket, but they are reasonable compared to USA. A coworker wasn’t here long enough for the signup and dislocated his shoulder. Hospital visit, xray, sling, etc $400

    • explodicle@sh.itjust.works
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      7 hours ago

      In some countries they don’t even have the financial infrastructure to bill patients, so injured tourists get free health care. A big chunk of American medical bills is due to the cost of billing.

        • FrederikNJS@piefed.zip
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          3 hours ago

          The ones i know: Denmark, England, Sweden, Norway

          But I would imagine that most other countries with unified tax paid healthcare would be the same.

          • Rothe@piefed.social
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            1 hour ago

            In Denmark (and I would assume those other countries as well) it varies depending on the factors. If you are a foreigner but are living in Denmark, or if you are staying in Denmark for a job, then you can apply for the rights of free healthcare treatment, but if you are a tourist needing urgent care, and are not a citizen of the EU (or the Nordic countries), or under the age of 18, then you will be billed.

            So there definitely is a financial infrastructure to bill in Denmark, even though its own citizens never see it. Without knowing it precisely I would also assume that the bill would be very reasonable compared to a bill for the same treatment in the US.

        • BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world
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          5 hours ago

          I never went to surgery or anything, but I’ve been to a couple of Drs in Mexico and it’s basically just like paying the copay and just peacing out. Most of the time you can just ask the pharmacist and they prescribe whatever right there.

          You’re overestimating the American Healthcare system.