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...because they are not for profit so people can actually afford to get help even if they are poor

by hatenberg 7y ago

chaorace 7y ago
Well, yes... but that's not really the point. There's plenty of better hospital systems, socialized or not.
vijaybritto 7y ago
yes, but still they are not as developed in human indices
taneq 7y ago
Large parts of the world have government-funded healthcare, including many countries where it's anything but "overcrowded and underfunded."
lopmotr 7y ago
I think you're a bit off the mark. Healthcare is cheap in China, but people are even poorer. Only rich people can afford the important stuff. It's common for young people from poor families to work or forgo their education to pay their sick parent's medical costs. Usually old people just die because they can't afford medical care where in the west, they would be treated. Also doctors are poorly paid and commonly supplement their income with under the table drug sales. Oh, and most of them prescribe fake herbal medicines as if it was real and patients are fooled by it because their culture tells them it works. Imagine getting a vial of homeopathic diluted water and a sugar pill when you complain about a cough. I once knew someone who had TB and was recommended to treat it with an OTC sachet of herb from the pharmacy! It's common to find beggars outside hospitals with signs asking for money to continue their treatment. Insurance? Yes, that exists but the excess is often something like 1/3 the total cost so if you couldn't afford it yourself, you still can't afford it with insurance. That's if you have a high enough income to afford insurance in the first place.
- DailyHN 7y ago
  > Insurance? Yes, that exists but the excess is often something like 1/3 the total cost so if you couldn't afford it yourself, you still can't afford it with insurance. In the USA or China?
  - skripp 7y ago
    China
- new2628 7y ago
  > Imagine getting a vial of homeopathic diluted water and a sugar pill when you complain about a cough. This happens regularly in western europe, especially by pediatricians. The charitable interpretation is that the doctor knows the child will get better in a few days anyway, but has to give _something_ to soothe the parents. Giving the substance-free stuff is better than unnecessarily medicating the child, and placebo-effect can also play a positive role.
  - stef25 7y ago
    This probably only works with parents who're too dumb to comprehend what's being prescribed, or ones that are ok with homeopathics? Here in Belgium all the doctors that have seen my kids have no problem saying paracetamol and they'll be fine in a few days. W-Europe is particularly hostile to medical quackery IMHO.
    - dsfyu404ed 7y ago
      The parents that know they're gonna get a placebo because the kid will get better regardless probably aren't bringing their kids to the doctor for the kinds of ailments that result in a placebo.
      - stef25 7y ago
        Anecdotally, 90% of the times I've taken my toddlers to the doctor I've gone home with advice to take paracetamol and wait it out. Kids can get high fevers really fast and you just want to make sure their lungs & heart are ok, they don't have a throat / ear infection etc. A doc can verify that for you in 5 min so I rather be safe than sorry, an "OK" is all I need.

...because they are not for profit so people can actually afford to get help even if they are poor

chaorace 7y ago

Well, yes... but that's not really the point. There's plenty of better hospital systems, socialized or not.

vijaybritto 7y ago

yes, but still they are not as developed in human indices

taneq 7y ago

Large parts of the world have government-funded healthcare, including many countries where it's anything but "overcrowded and underfunded."

lopmotr 7y ago

I think you're a bit off the mark. Healthcare is cheap in China, but people are even poorer. Only rich people can afford the important stuff. It's common for young people from poor families to work or forgo their education to pay their sick parent's medical costs. Usually old people just die because they can't afford medical care where in the west, they would be treated. Also doctors are poorly paid and commonly supplement their income with under the table drug sales. Oh, and most of them prescribe fake herbal medicines as if it was real and patients are fooled by it because their culture tells them it works. Imagine getting a vial of homeopathic diluted water and a sugar pill when you complain about a cough. I once knew someone who had TB and was recommended to treat it with an OTC sachet of herb from the pharmacy! It's common to find beggars outside hospitals with signs asking for money to continue their treatment. Insurance? Yes, that exists but the excess is often something like 1/3 the total cost so if you couldn't afford it yourself, you still can't afford it with insurance. That's if you have a high enough income to afford insurance in the first place.

DailyHN 7y ago
> Insurance? Yes, that exists but the excess is often something like 1/3 the total cost so if you couldn't afford it yourself, you still can't afford it with insurance. In the USA or China?
- skripp 7y ago
  China
new2628 7y ago
> Imagine getting a vial of homeopathic diluted water and a sugar pill when you complain about a cough. This happens regularly in western europe, especially by pediatricians. The charitable interpretation is that the doctor knows the child will get better in a few days anyway, but has to give _something_ to soothe the parents. Giving the substance-free stuff is better than unnecessarily medicating the child, and placebo-effect can also play a positive role.
- stef25 7y ago
  This probably only works with parents who're too dumb to comprehend what's being prescribed, or ones that are ok with homeopathics? Here in Belgium all the doctors that have seen my kids have no problem saying paracetamol and they'll be fine in a few days. W-Europe is particularly hostile to medical quackery IMHO.
  - dsfyu404ed 7y ago
    The parents that know they're gonna get a placebo because the kid will get better regardless probably aren't bringing their kids to the doctor for the kinds of ailments that result in a placebo.
    - stef25 7y ago
      Anecdotally, 90% of the times I've taken my toddlers to the doctor I've gone home with advice to take paracetamol and wait it out. Kids can get high fevers really fast and you just want to make sure their lungs & heart are ok, they don't have a throat / ear infection etc. A doc can verify that for you in 5 min so I rather be safe than sorry, an "OK" is all I need.