'10 grand? For a baby?!' Watch British people react to hearing the cost of basic U.S. health care

Daily Kos Staff

Tuesday December 03, 2019 · 9:00 AM PST

2019/12/03 · 09:00

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Acknowledging that the costs of medical care in the United States are both prohibitive and shocking is nothing new for most people who live here. In a video posted by the British website JOE, however, English people are asked to guess the costs of necessary medical care in the U.S. Health care costs are particularly relevant in the United Kingdom right now, as their National Health Service is a critical issue in the upcoming election. What would their system look like if it shifted to a U.S. model? As the video shows, people are absolutely shocked at the potential costs.

For example, the host asks a woman how much she thinks an inhaler costs in the U.S. She guesses $100. He tells her no, it’s more. She goes up to $120. He tells her it’s between $250 and $350, and the shock on her face is evident. Then she says, “Man, so if you’re poor, you’re dead.” Which is, unfortunately, pretty accurate. There’s a gap between life expectancy for low-income people and for rich people, which, while attributable to a number of factors, such as overall diet, stress, and environment, can also be attributed to a lack of affordable, accessible, and quality health care.

Low-income people face higher rates of disease, including heart disease and depression. Low-income Americans, statistically, die younger—and while affordable health care wouldn’t solve that structural problem entirely, it would be a huge start.

Ambulance call out? $2,500. Childbirth? $30,000.

Our NHS is not for sale, @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/q9z4r6Ni6g
Ã¢ÂÂ PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) December 3, 2019

Twitter users are horrified too.

Great watch. Ã¢ÂÂShut the FridgeÃ¢ÂÂ Ã¢ÂÂmentalÃ¢ÂÂ being two reactions from Brits to what the out of pocket costs are for health care in the US https://t.co/BsMwXu1ijR
Ã¢ÂÂ Dr Lindsay Tedds Ã°ÂÂÂÃ°ÂÂÂ¼Ã°ÂÂÂ»Ã°ÂÂ¥ÂÃ°ÂÂÂ¸Ã°ÂÂÂ¨Ã°ÂÂÂ¦Ã°ÂÂÂ¬Ã°ÂÂÂ§Ã°ÂÂÂ´Ã¢ÂÂÃ¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¸ÂÃ°ÂÂÂ³Ã¯Â¸ÂÃ¢ÂÂÃ°ÂÂÂ (@LindsayTedds) December 3, 2019

Thankfully, with my wifeÃ¢ÂÂs insurance, weÃ¢ÂÂd only have to pay $1,200 for childbirth. Otherwise, we probably wouldnÃ¢ÂÂt be talking about trying to have kids. But, yeah, for the most part the American health care system is a scam. #FuckTrump https://t.co/mgxKm3Uy4p
Ã¢ÂÂ Matthew Verley (@MattieV83) December 3, 2019

Our NHS is not for sale @realDonaldTrump.
We have to stop Boris Johnson from getting a majority, cosying up to Donald Trump and opening up our NHS to commercial interests in the US. Leaving the EU will make us vulnerable Ã¢ÂÂ letÃ¢ÂÂs #StopBrexit!#TrumpUKVisit pic.twitter.com/TSqPgQSwIb
Ã¢ÂÂ Dominic Buxton Ã°ÂÂÂ¶ (@MrDominicBuxton) December 3, 2019

People frequently discuss the horrors of the health care system in the U.S. on Twitter.

America has the finest mental health care system in the world. itÃ¢ÂÂs called Ã¢ÂÂreading about other peopleÃ¢ÂÂs therapists on twitter because you canÃ¢ÂÂt afford a therapist of your own.Ã¢ÂÂ
Ã¢ÂÂ the library haunter Ã°ÂÂÂÃ°ÂÂ¦Â (@SketchesbyBoze) November 25, 2019

The $70 copay that prevented me from going to the doctor in the first place. Healthcare that you canÃ¢ÂÂt afford to use is almost healthcare.
Ã¢ÂÂ Bootsie Rose 2020 Ã°ÂÂÂ¹ (@bootsie5) September 15, 2019

You know what's really fucked up?

My first thought walking into the hospital was,"fml how much is this about to cost me?"

I feel like we shouldn't be scared to get checked out. But hospitals are expensive af.
Ã¢ÂÂ Keebz (@okeebzo) November 30, 2019

$35k to birth a baby
Ã¢ÂÂ Laura Lape (@Laura_Lape) September 15, 2019

And express gratitude for other systems.

I had 28-week twins in intensive care 6 weeks & hospital 4 months. They had numerous procedures, 1-on-1 expert nursing care, a variety of very expensive machines, multiple specialists, & two operations. Cost in Australia = parking fees & my breastmilk pump. Around $150. https://t.co/sFkyM0MZOg
Ã¢ÂÂ Ã°ÂÂÂ§ Mad Fucking Witches (@MadFckingWitch) December 2, 2019

My late father was given chemotherapy (twice) and radiotherapy (twice). My Grandmother was treated for a heart attack and cancer. Both spent weeks in hospital.

The cost? ÃÂ£0.00. #HandsOffOurNHS https://t.co/q7ffOHKwam
Ã¢ÂÂ James Sutton (@thejamessutton) December 1, 2019

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn also sent this message to Donald Trump on Twitter, which is making waves as Trump visits the U.K.

.@RealDonaldTrump: our NHS is not for sale. pic.twitter.com/g2FWXnYEAV
Ã¢ÂÂ Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 2, 2019

And here’s that full video.

YouTube Video

'10 grand? For a baby?!' Watch British people react to hearing the cost of basic U.S. health care

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