3 ms·

I remember when "Breaking Bad" started airing in Europe, people were calling the premise of the plot "unrealistic" and the media had to explain how health care

by dudul 11y ago

I remember when "Breaking Bad" started airing in Europe, people were calling the premise of the plot "unrealistic" and the media had to explain how health care (didn't) work in the US and how people who get cancer can basically fuck their whole family financially.

magic_beans 11y ago
That's incredible! Do you have a source for this? Or do you know which media were saying this?
- dudul 11y ago
  What is so incredible about it? Is it incredible to understand that in countries where universal health care is the norm the US system seems completely alien? For example, I gave up trying to explain to my parents who still live in Europe how my health care works. They don't understand why it's part of the package when I take a new job. I tried to find a source but couldn't, it's too old, all the matches I got where about the new spin-off. I remember seeing it mostly on TV and TV magazine (critics of the series). Just to be clear, it wasn't a full documentary about the US system :) just a note to explain that the US doesn't have universal health care and that people without insurance were in deep shit.
Florin_Andrei 11y ago
I grew up in Europe, been living in the US for 15 years now. I would not have bought the premise of that show 15 years ago. Absolutely not. It would have seemed beyond far-fetched. But not anymore, sadly. I can totally believe it now. Makes me wonder if I need to re-evaluate some of my biggest choices in life.
adventured 11y ago
It's true that cancer can fuck your life financially in the US. However the central plot of Breaking Bad wasn't healthcare coverage. It was Walt trying to leave a lot of money for his children after he died. He essentially received a terminal diagnosis. Walt could have gotten coverage from his former company, they made him an offer that he refused. He preferred to kill people and sell drugs instead, because he liked it.

by dudul 11y ago

magic_beans 11y ago

That's incredible! Do you have a source for this? Or do you know which media were saying this?

dudul 11y ago
What is so incredible about it? Is it incredible to understand that in countries where universal health care is the norm the US system seems completely alien? For example, I gave up trying to explain to my parents who still live in Europe how my health care works. They don't understand why it's part of the package when I take a new job. I tried to find a source but couldn't, it's too old, all the matches I got where about the new spin-off. I remember seeing it mostly on TV and TV magazine (critics of the series). Just to be clear, it wasn't a full documentary about the US system :) just a note to explain that the US doesn't have universal health care and that people without insurance were in deep shit.

Florin_Andrei 11y ago

I grew up in Europe, been living in the US for 15 years now. I would not have bought the premise of that show 15 years ago. Absolutely not. It would have seemed beyond far-fetched. But not anymore, sadly. I can totally believe it now. Makes me wonder if I need to re-evaluate some of my biggest choices in life.

adventured 11y ago

It's true that cancer can fuck your life financially in the US. However the central plot of Breaking Bad wasn't healthcare coverage. It was Walt trying to leave a lot of money for his children after he died. He essentially received a terminal diagnosis. Walt could have gotten coverage from his former company, they made him an offer that he refused. He preferred to kill people and sell drugs instead, because he liked it.