How Patients Can Get Expensive Treatment in the USA Without Insurance
The high cost of medicine is a particularly sensitive issue for Americans. For example, the cost of even simple surgical procedures starts from several thousand dollars, and with more complex interventions, the bill may well grow to tens and hundreds of thousands dollars. Many people still have to take quick loans Maryville TN to cover medical bills. This financial product is the most popular today because payday loans have easy eligibility criteria and money can be received the same day you apply. If we are talking about a severe illness that requires long-term treatment, then medical bills can reach millions dollars. In the summer in America, there was a sensational case when a 70-year-old pensioner received a bill for $1.1 million after two months of hospitalization.
Only persistent people get help
Basically, an insurance policy is a pass to the world of medical services and it is not cheap at all. But even if you are insured, you often still pay part of the bill for medical services out of your own pocket. In addition, insurers are often slow to include new or rare drugs in their programs. As a result, according to sociologists, one in four Americans is forced to postpone treatment as he or she is unable to pay for it.
What to do to all those who, for various reasons, cannot afford to pay for life-saving treatment? There are options. Although, as a rule, they will require a lot of effort and time.
The parents of Ohio’s newborn Duke Stanger, who required $3 million in treatment for a genetic disorder last year, were shocked to learn that their insurance had removed the condition from their policy. But they did not give up, and after numerous letters to the insurance company, complaints to congressmen, state authorities and courts, they managed to achieve changes in the conditions of the policy. Now parents of other children with this disease will be able to take advantage of these changes.
But the parents of little Eliana Cohen acted differently. They discovered a rare genetic pathology in their daughter only five weeks before reaching the age of two, after which treatment is considered impossible, and therefore they simply did not have time for months of battles in the courts. Crowdfunding became a salvation for them. This word in America refers to the numerous ways of collecting funds from those wishing to help, whether it is a cry for help through a charitable foundation, a special website or other means. More than 23,000 people in the United States and abroad responded to their call in just five days, donating a total of $2.2 million for treatment.
Often, innovative drugs that are just entering the market are distinguished by prohibitive costs. A common way to get them for free is to participate in the phases of clinical trials, although there are often limited places for volunteers.
There are many charities, volunteers and other organizations in the United States that can sometimes provide support for the treatment of a particular medical condition. In addition, some drug manufacturers have special support programs for those who cannot afford them.
Finally, expensive medical treatment and drugs are available through the state Medicaid program, funded by the federal and state governments. But it is not available to everyone. The program establishes rather strict criteria – these are low income, disability or a certain disease.
