The Future Of Health The USA has always been one of the top countries that receive a lot of immigrants on a yearly basis, but what most of them do not know before moving is the way healthcare is working in the States.
However, such a crucial fact should not be overlooked, especially by people that are moving before even receiving a job offer in the USA!
101 on Healthcare in the States
Healthcare is one of the crucial things in everybody’s day-to-day life, and in this article, we will go over the five most important healthcare facts that you should know about before deciding to move to the States.
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Healthcare in the USA is not government-provided
It is common for some countries to have the so-called ‘free’ medicine, the one that is paid through our taxes and does not require any additional bills in order to receive medical care.
However, this is not the case in the USA. Here, every medical procedure or appointment is paid for by the patients directly, which is why both citizens and visitors cannot expect to receive anything for free.
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Medical Treatment is Very Expensive
No matter what kind of treatment you need to receive, be it an emergency or a planned visit to your pediatrician, it will cost you a lot.
As the government states, a three-day long stay at the hospital will cost you around 30,000 dollars, a sum that is not available for everybody.
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Having a Health Insurance is a Must
Because of such an expensive healthcare system in the States, almost everybody has insurance that covers these expenses.
Any type of health insurance requires you to make regular payments that, depending on the company that provides you with insurance and the type of this insurance, will cover some part or all of your medical bills.
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Choosing a PCP is Quite Important
Unlike in some other countries, most of your concerns will be dealt with by your Primary Care Provider or PCP. It is a nurse practitioner or a physician that you can choose after creating health insurance and looking through the options that it gives to you.
No matter what your concern is, you will go to your PCP first and deal with almost every problem through this professional. Visiting a more narrow specialist is a rare case, so be careful with your choice of a PCP.
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Medical Care is Received Only Through Appointments
USA medical practice does not involve unplanned visits to your PCP. Unless it is an emergency, you will need to make a call and plan an appointment.
What is more, you could wait for months for your appointment, especially if you are just planning a routine medical examination and are not currently sick or with an injury.