A first-hand account of single-payer health care

I am sitting in my hospital room in a bone marrow transplant unit in a European city. I am a patient who has recently received a stem cell transplant. I am U.S. citizen, but I am a resident of a country with a single-payer health system. The insurance system here covers 85 percent of the population. And participation is mandatory, although high earners can opt out by purchasing private insurance. Citizens and working residents pay a tax of about 15 percent of their earnings for their government-financed health care coverage. The insurance is administered by one of several non-profit organization that differ very little in coverage benefits because of the mandatory high level of minimum coverage. Doctors and pharmacists in private practice are reimbursed by these insurance administrators. I am not a permanent resident of this country. I live here legally on a temporary work visa. Nonetheless, I am full participant in the insurance plan. The costs of stem cell transplants vary considerably, but in the United States, they average about $800,000. Here they average a bit more than $250,000. In my case, that is about what the insurance plan will end up paying for my transplant. When I walk out the hospital, my bill will be a $10 per day charge. Let me emphasize that is not because I have a Platinum plan at a cost affordable only the jet-setting global elite. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guid...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Patient Oncology/Hematology Washington Watch Source Type: blogs