Medical Care in the United States is it fair?

I agree with you that things are not fair with the system. When my s/o had an accident, we had to call an ambulance. The volunteer paramedics were uncomfortable moving him so they called in the life flight helicopter instead. We got a bill for $500 for calling the ambulance, $300 because they called a second ambulance with more qualified paramedics, and $10,000 for the helicopter. The life flight helicopter was from a hospital not covered by our PCP so we had to pay a higher percentage of the bill for the ER, CT scan and X-rays. All they found was a concussion and a broken collarbone and sent him home after just a couple hours before he was even able to stand up on his own. The total bill was for well over $15,000. Another good example is when our youngest son was born this past November. I was only at the hospital for an hour before he was born at 10:00pm on a Monday and left at lunchtime Wednesday. I was charged for a 3 day stay at $600 a day since I was there on each of those 3 days even though it was only 38 hours. The cost of the nursery care was an additional $500 a day for my son even though he spent most of the time with me. My doctor arrived just a half hour before the delivery and did not even "catch" him because she wasn't ready. She charged $3000 for assisting anyway. All of that in addition to all the charges for surgical supplies and medication they had available "in case" I needed them. I didn't but was charged any way because once they were made ready they couldn't be used for anyone else. We were also charged for the diapers they supplied even though I had wanted to use my own but wasn't allowed due to "hospital policy" or so I was told. Another experience that could have turned bad was when I got behind paying my bill for my prenatal appointment with our other son. I was two days from my due date when billing called me and said they had cancelled all future appointments and I would not be seen again until I had paid the amount I owed in full. I would have to pay the $200 I was behind as well pay $80 upfront if I needed an appointment. At that late stage in pregnancy is not the time to be cut off from medical care but they didn't care. Ultimately I wasn't able to see my doctor again until the day I delivered 10 days AFTER my due date. Luckily the baby was fine and healthy but that wasn't the point. Something really needs to be done to make the health care system focus on HEALTH and common sense instead of just how much money that can get out of people.

I live in Canada, so this is all covered by provincial healthcare, different in every province, but with the same goal, it's all covered, Under OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) the only thing that would have cost me anything would have been the ambulance, and that would have only run me about $50. I would have just called a taxi!! That would have only cost me $10. They woudn't have charged me for anthing else, once I showed them my OHIP card. American healthcare is run by a bunch of CRIMMINALS!!!!

I think you can pay a little a month and they will be happy. I dont think they can charge you anything as long as you keep paying something.

Do I think Health care is fair here? Hell NO!! since I'm a veteran, I try to hit the VA clinic and all. but NO, I don't think the health care system is good; That was one of the main things I was down with with Bill Clinton; Every man woman and child should be insured in this country no matter what and not have to worry about health care and whether or not it will take out of my pay or what have you.