Why are medical procedures so expensive in USA?

1. 82

   jjackson786posted 9 years ago

   The short answer? Because they can, and there's no one telling them that they can't. There is very little regulation of the healthcare industry and, because of this, it is capable of charging the customer whatever it wants to for services that cost next to nothing in other parts of the world. The healthcare in this country is laughable, and will continue to be so until we emulate what other countries are doing by offering low-cost- sometimes free- healthcare to all regardless of finances, thus eliminating the profit side of keeping people healthy. Our healthcare industry has become a money-making machine as opposed to an institution designed to help people through difficult times.

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2. 60

   Link10103posted 9 years ago

   To suck us dry. And then people wonder why poverty is so rampant in the US
   
   My mom had to go to the emergency room due to an allergic reaction she had to sleep medicine prescribed by her doctor. Freaking would have cost her 2 grand had she not had insurance, and they didn't even do blood work or take X rays.
   
   Part of the reason why I want to move out the states, almost everything here is a damn rip off

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   1. 45

      Ericdierkerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Interesting you seem to be the fist American born person I know to call "the states" the states. Everything here is a damn rip off?

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   2. 60

      Link10103posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Not quite sure what the significance is in that. USA, US, America,  the States.
      And when it comes to the important things in terms of money, yes I think it's a rip off.

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3. 93

   peeplesposted 9 years ago

   Why are medical procedures so expensive in USA?
   
   My husband has a medical test he is going to today which takes less than 30 minutes and costs $1900. I looked up the prices in other countries. When converted to USD this test costs less than $500 and as low as $100. Is this politics related? Why in the world would they charge that much for a test that takes such a little amount of time? I should add he is going to the lowest cost place in our area.

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4. 93

   lisavollrathposted 9 years ago

   Because the health care system in the US is for profit, while in quite a few other countries, it has been nationalized, and is a public entity funded by tax dollars.

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