Health care in Chile. What's up with Estados Unidos?

Search
Go

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List
This thread has been locked
Messages 1 - 20 of total 68 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 13, 2011 - 11:59am PT
Chile has the best health care in Latin America, it's also costs a fraction of what you pay in the US. I came down with a painfull tooth infection yesterday. The trip to the dentist set me back $9, xray included. Friends of mine from Colorado paid a whopping $140 each in Santiago for colonoscopys. The medical care is also pretty high quality. Makes you wonder.
Murzerker

Social climber
Land of Goats and Tacos
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:03pm PT
Great wine, great food, wonderful people, and beautiful to boot...yeah makes you wonder.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:06pm PT
Try and sue a doctor down there. Not having to carry millions of liability
insurance helps a lot.
Russ Walling

Gym climber
Poofter's Froth, Wyoming
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:11pm PT
Friends of mine from Colorado paid a whopping $140 each in Santiago for colonoscopys.

Chile is the colonoscopy capital of the World, so duh!

I'd still watch my ass down there though. I'd hate to be buns up squeelin' on some 3rd world doctors porno loop.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2011 - 12:15pm PT
Been to Santiago Russ? ..... it's as First World as it gets. Also, colonoscopys cost between $3000 and $6000 in the States. Hard to explain that big of a difference on lawsuits.
Russ Walling

Gym climber
Poofter's Froth, Wyoming
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:17pm PT
I've been to Juarez, so yeah, I've been to Santiago.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2011 - 12:18pm PT
That sounds like someting W would say.
Lennox

climber
just southwest of the center of the universe
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:20pm PT
Malpractice insurance ain't the main culprit--this article lists the causes in descending order.

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/doctors-hospitals/health-care-security/who-is-to-blame-for-high-costs/health-care-security-costs.htm
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:22pm PT
Sounds like you guys are outsourcing jobs to foriegn countries.

( except for Mr Donini, who had no control over the timing of his affliction )

Makes sense, especially if you can get the same work done for less money.

It makes sense whether it's medical, manufacturing, or technical work. Outsourcing the jobs we need done makes all of us wealthier.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:25pm PT
Jim, don't be naive. There are vast barrios in Santiago where somebody less
adept at defending themself than you wouldn't fare well. And if I needed
something truly state-of-the-art done I surely would get on an airliner to
the good ol' USA.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2011 - 12:31pm PT
Reilly, I'm not saying that the healthcare in Chile is better, the US has the BEST and the MOST EXPENSIVE healthcare in the World. I'm drawing attention to the phenomenal cost differences. Patagonia is one of the safest (if you don't climb) places I've ever been. There are few "barrios" in the States That require good weaponry and body armor.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:33pm PT
And here I thought that Jim had promised to stop posting to and reading non-climbing threads. :-)
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:36pm PT
The meanest guy I met in all of Patagonia.
I think he thought I was comin' for his bowl.

donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2011 - 12:40pm PT
If your headed to a remote climbing area and you had a toothache like mine...you would think this was pretty much on topic.
Delayed a day but it's getting better.
Batrock

Trad climber
Burbank
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:43pm PT
A friend of mine paid $6 for 4 stitches in Grupo Mexico last week, a year prior here in Burbank he paid $1400 for 6 stitches. Go figure.

I worked in one of those "Barrios" you speak of for 20 years, or rather two of them, South Central and East LA 10 years each at various fire stations.
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:45pm PT
Donini

I think the US has some of the best healthcare professionals in the world, but the healthcare itself is in my view bad and far from the BEST. A lot of people are excluded because of the cost. Germany has also got some of the best healthcare professionals on the globe. Neither are the Scandinavian countries bad. There you have nearly free healthcare to everybody for a cost/person that is lower than in the US. Something in the American healthcare system has gone awfully wrong.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2011 - 12:47pm PT
We are in complete agreement Locker.
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:49pm PT
Also, colonoscopys cost between $3000 and $6000 in the States.

It would be interesting to follow that money, and see how it is distributed. Suppose, for example, that someone with employer-provided health insurance goes into the clinic for a visit with the steel eel. He'll probably be billed for some amount -- the amount not covered by his insurance -- but what is the total amount that changes hands, and what hands does it pass through and stick to?
philo

Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:50pm PT
Between Jim having to stop climbing for medical care and the climbing cost of US medical care I would say this is as on topic as it lately gets. The only thing this thread needs is titty pics and LED lighting.
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Dec 13, 2011 - 12:51pm PT
By healthcare I mean "real availability of high quality healthcare for the whole population" and seen that way America has far from the best healthcare.

And then I drop my case.
Messages 1 - 20 of total 68 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
Return to Forum List
 
Our Guidebooks
spacerCheck 'em out!
SuperTopo Guidebooks

guidebook icon
Try a free sample topo!

 
SuperTopo on the Web

Recent Route Beta