• scoobford
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    3 months ago

    It isn’t free, but it is so much cheaper. My mother got covid in Paris and had some kind of weird allergic reaction in her eye. An emergency visit with an actual doctor and a prescription filled while we waited was…I actually don’t remember how much. It was so little it may as well have been free (in the context of a family on an international vacation, not everyday life).

    • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      If you can afford the Olympics or a flight, you have healthcare. The vast majority of things would be cheaper to stay at home.

      • stoly@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Incorrect. Insurance is far more expensive than a quick trip to Europe. Good rates are only for large organizations. The retail cost is extreme.

      • LustyArgonian@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        No, not really cheaper to stay at home. Even botox can be much cheaper in other countries, eg here in the US may be around $800-$1300, whereas South Korea could be like $20 or Mexico could be $200. And you can get facials and many many other types of treatments at the same time to bundle savings. Dental procedures are like this too, pretty much all procedures can be sourced internationally for cheaper and sometimes better care. Cost of something like SMILE or LASIK is like $500 in India and Thailand. And you can absolutely get reputable clinics all over.

        The USA has some of the worst access to Healthcare in the world, and it’s extremely expensive comparatively.

        • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          And yet, a fight to SK is going to be more expensive than the elective procedures you choose that are typically not covered. For the rest insurance will be cheaper in most cases. Especially non elective procedures.

          • LustyArgonian@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            A flight to SK is $1k or so on Google Flights currently. Literally just getting a full round of botox and one facial will make up for that. Or getting botox, microneedling, PRP, and a good facial would cover the flight and hotel and you’d leave ahead financially. This also doesn’t include stuff like Sculptra or other weight loss or cellulite targeting procedures which are thousands in the States.

            Have you ever gotten a major medical procedure done in the US? Even “covered” by insurance, there are surprises, like the anesthesiologist being out of network. Surgery here can cost THOUSANDS before your deductible and coinsurance are met. Even with insurance, it is cheaper to get most procedures done elsewhere. And we have data that backs this up - the US is the most expensive place for all medical procedures. I know people who had to go to Mexico for chemo.