(June 30, 2012 at 5:48 pm)gringoperry Wrote: I think you've touched on what adds to the mystery for most of us (Non-Americans); the fact that we don't actually understand how it works in the U.S. I used to think that if you didn't have health insurance the hospitals flat out refused you admission - essentially leaving you to die - which I found to be a very callous and barbaric notion. I just tried looking it up on Google, and I have to say that I am no further on in understanding how it works. lolThat's because: Basically, it doesn't!
I lived in the US for a while and their healthcaresystem is flawed in every sense of the word. From our point of view anyway.
Obamacare is certainly a step in the right direction, but they still have SUCH a long way to go!
While staying there, I chose not to get any healthinsurance. I found out it would be cheaper to fly home - even if I broke my arm or something that wouldn't even be all that expensive there - than the price of insurance.
And that's not even touching the sore subject of insurance companies sometimes refusing to pay for treatments etc.