SirEdward
Well-Known Member
But seriously, I do know that sometimes it's absolutely none of your own doing. But I also think people assume that it's a large percentage of catastrophic health problems, when it's probably not. I know I'm a bit cynical, but I think the overwhelming majority are self inflicted.
Just to add to the "sh*t happens group". I underwent major surgey four years ago; my condition has prevented me from working for two full years prior to that moment, severely limited my working capability for at least other 4 years before those two, and mildly limited it for at least other 5 years, plus it still prevents me from a series of job possibilities.
Had I been an american citizen, the surgery would have costed me roughly 160-180k dollars (I checked with the publicly available cost charts), which I didn't have at the time, plus more than 15 years in exams and doctors' paychecks. Without it, I'd probably be dead, and If I had to pay for it in the US, I'd probably be homeless by now.
With national healthcare, I had it for free in (but that part is just pure chance) one of the best hospital of the country for that kind of surgery. And now I am working and being productive.
It's not only a question of choices, not only a question of costs, but also of social opportunity costs.