‘Don’t get sick. It’s too expensive’: medical debt is putting more Americans in financial crisis

At times I wonder if medically assisted suicides are frowned upon due to not being able to further drain the money out of patients and their extended credit lines.

I remember when we bought a house 8 years ago (seems like a lifetime now) talking to the mortgage broker and he basically said they straight-up ignore medical debt because everyone has it and nobody would ever get a loan if it was considered. It's utterly insane to me how the wealthiest nation in the world can't keep its citizens healthy and out of debt.

The US healthcare system is a for profit death cult ran by racketeers

It always has. IIRC the biggest reason for bankruptcy in the US has been medical bills, for a while. Our greed driven system is garbage.

Stop paying medical bills. A debt strike would be easier than a general strike.

It amazes me how people went to work sick as if it was normal. Of courses some bosses were assholes and "wouldn't let you go home" or "needed you at work". Sure boss let me sneeze in my hand before I shake everybody else's hand.

Now these days woah big scary covid. If you're not feeling good please stay home. We should've been staying home like 30 yrs ago,

I've been seeing this headline for more than twenty years.

Yet COVID vaccinations are down...

And "essential workers" are right back to being expected to work while sick...

This is fine.

can't get sick if you can't afford the diagnosis.

I'm American. When I get cancer I plan to have one or two good months and kill myself.

The Repblican health care plan since 2009:

https://youtu.be/bSRo51SbQQs

1. Don't get sick.
2. If you do get sick...
3. Die Quickly

Man, where's Alan Grayson when you need him?

I was at a work training in the US with someone from Japan. She said she had only been to the US one other time but that she had gotten sick and spent 2 weeks in the hospital.

I don’t know what Japan’s healthcare system is like, but I can’t imagine being someone from another country and unfamiliar with our shitty system and getting that huge ass bill.

I view medicine in the US similar to video piracy. If you are going to make access expensive and difficult to obtain, then I have no issue with stealing it. Medical debt is handled differently than other types of debt. IANAL, but I have no qualms with running up a 700k medical debt for life saving treatment then bouncing on the bill.

We are so baffled in Europe about how a country that preaches human rights around the world revels in denying its own people one of the most fundamental human rights. Truly mind boggling.

Ehrlichman: “Edgar Kaiser is running his Permanente deal for profit. And the reason that he can … the reason he can do it … I had Edgar Kaiser come in … talk to me about this and I went into it in some depth. All the incentives are toward less medical care, because …”

President Nixon: [Unclear.]

Ehrlichman: “… the less care they give them, the more money they make.”

President Nixon: “Fine.” [Unclear.]

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Transcript_of_taped_conversation_between_President_Richard_Nixon_and_John_D._Ehrlichman_%281971%29_that_led_to_the_HMO_act_of_1973:

Hey I just a had a thought. We should have a vote on student loan debt. If you vote against a blanket clearing of the debt you automatically go on a list of people who can't declare bankruptcy due to medical debt.

But the strong economy...

Easy solution don't pay

This is nothing new: Been doing it my whole fucking life :(

I eat literal fish antibiotics from the internet when I need antibiotics. American healthcare is too expensive.

Were you able to get out of it? That's an obscene charge.

Well, what about ya? How about you look at the whole system and learn how unsustainable it is? How about you understand that those just finishing the process are in a much worse position than most of those that just finished paying their loans were when they first graduated (and it wasn't great when you first graduated either).

Yeah, what about you?

Note: I just finished paying off my student debt in Oct.

"getting sick" and "getting hospitalized" are two wildly different things. I got sick last week and it cost me nothing (well, a few $$$ for some ice cream).

Better to have expensive service that is actually available when you need it. Socialized medicine means you'll be waiting MONTHS for an appointment. Or they'll just tell you to kill yourself. No joke.