Priscila
What's the healthcare like in your country?
Nov 1, 2014 10:36 AM
Comments · 4
1

I think every country has healthcare by government but it's not like insurance.
like my country the government provide health care but it's not that good .
all your appointments with doctors will be away like after 1 month moreover the doctor won't be good
in every meeting you will meet different doctor.
.I think there isn't any thing like insurance or pay for your doctor.

November 1, 2014
1

I'm a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. Here, it is chaotic, complicated, and expensive.
It is hard to generalize. The U.S. is a "federal republic," insurance is regulated by the states, everything is different in every state. The new "Obamacare" is in the center of constitutional issues about what the Federal government can require states to do and in the center of American tension on the roles of the government versus private enterprise.
The quality of healthcare varies a lot from state to state. My region is famous for medical care. Care here is good--and expensive. In Minnesota, it is just about as good--but much less expensive. Some hospitals are private and for-profit, some are nonprofit. Some insurance companies are private and for-profit, some are nonprofit. Hospitals cannot legally turn away someone who shows up at an emergency room, which is good, but creates problems of its own.
It is OK for middle-class Americans working at middle-class jobs at companies of at least medium size. It is very common for companies to offer health insurance as a job benefit, and to pay 75%-100% of the cost. That's been my situation, and it works reasonably smoothly.
The tradition of health insurance being provided by employers is a crazy historical accident. At the end of World War II, salaries were capped by a wartime measure, so employers competed on benefits. Health insurance was relatively cheap, and it became a popular or near-universal benefit.
Medical billing is crazy. Most medical procedures have an insane "Chargemaster" rate which is often around four or five times higher than the rates negotiated by insurance. The insurer is billed $1,000 but only pays $250. If you don't have insurance you may receive a bill for the crazy $1,000, which you may or may not be able to negotiate down.
Given its economic stature, the U.S. has a shameful infant mortality rate, one of many indications that healthcare in the U.S. is not what it should be.

November 1, 2014
1

In Italy we have a similar system. Healthcare is primarily run by the national government, and each region is divided into districts (ASL = Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Locale) which administrates the local hospitals and other socio-sanitary facilities like clinics, first aid... ASLs have also relationships with local elderly care centres and dental clinics. 

Public healthcare is provided to everyone for a very small fee (what we call "ticket" - less than 50 euro - but it's free for young kids up to 6 years old, elder people from 65 years old and people who have a cronic illness), but the waiting times are very long, especially for specialist cures. If you want something urgent, sometimes you are forced to pay for private healthcare, go to the private doctor clinic/ambulatory and pay a large amount of money (more than 100/200 euro for a normal visit). 

We do not have insurance like in the US, but many companies offer some plans in order to get some money back at the end of the year, especially if you need a lot of treatments. 

The national health service is called SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale). 

November 1, 2014
1

Healthcare in Brazil is a constitutional right.

Private and goverment institutions provide it to people. The national health policy is administered by the Health Minister. The Federal Goverment is responsible for primary healthcare and the State Goverment is responsible for the operation of hospitals. Public healthcare is provided to all Brazilian and foreigners through a system known as Unified Health System - SUS. SUS is universal and free.

November 1, 2014