Thursday, May 24, 2012

How Does The American Health Care System Work?

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Monday, November 30, 2009, 12:46
This news item was posted in Medical Information category and has 2 Comments so far.

I’m from England and considering moving to American but to consider it properly I want to understand some things. Most importantly how does the American Health Care System work? In the Uk we have the NHS, a free health care system. I understand that in the US one must have health insurance but where would I get this? Furthermore, where would you go for general medical queries such as a cold, headache etc. (The US equivalent to a GP)?
I would really appreciate some help!
Thanks :)

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2 Responses to “How Does The American Health Care System Work?”

  1. Kulahan said on Monday, November 30, 2009, 14:20

    Everyone in America has the choice of whether or not they want to purchase health care. There is currently no national health care system. Generally speaking, If you pay for health insurance, you pay a monthly or yearly amount, and then (depending on the plan you pay for), they will pay either the full amount, or most of your payment due whenever you visit a doctor. Different plans cover different things, have different costs, and have different allowable expenses per year. It’s really up to you to do the research and decide what kind of plan is best for you. Often times, you can get very cheap, but very good health insurance benefits if you work for the state or national government. It may even be free! Many companies also offer some kind of discounted health insurance for working for their company.
    To answer your second question, most people usually choose a doctor they trust and stick with them, but you can go to any general doctor you choose. Hospitals are usually reserved for the much more serious injuries, and so we have offices that usually house 4-5 doctors (depending on the size of the city, and the size of the practice), which take care of patients with complaints ranging from trouble sleeping all the way up to some more serious colds. The health insurance is usually billed automatically at the conclusion of your visit, and you are usually given what’s called a co-pay. The co-pay is the amount you agree with your insurance company to pay every time you visit the doctor’s office. It’s usually 10-20 USD.

  2. John six pack said on Monday, November 30, 2009, 14:33

    Call Medical Mutual and ask about individual coverage. Then hang on tight.

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