美國的醫療保險系統是個悲劇

看了這期的TIME，我震驚的發現：美國的醫療保險系統真是悲劇。　The health care in the U.S. is a tragedy.

一個老美被診斷得了淋巴癌，先期採樣分析，用來判斷未來療程的六天實驗室分析，要價$48,900。　然後第一期治療要價$83,900，外加實驗是血液分析要價$15,000。　而他每個月保費$469的醫療保險只給付$4,000。

A poor man diagnosed with NHL, the estimation for further treatment cost him $48,900; the initial does of chemotherapy and first step of his treatment plan cost $83,900, plus blood and lab tests for $15,000. His $469 monthly charged insurance paid $4,000 only.

過去我以為費城滿街的醫護人員是因為本城有Penn medical system 和 另外兩間大學附設醫院，現在我才知道這個現像背後有美國陰暗的(其中)一面。

In the past, I thought why I can always see medical related employees on the street of Philadelphia is because this city have 3 major health care related university and hospital system, but now, I realized that this phenomenon implied a dark truth of the U.S.

"Of Huston's top 10 employers, five are hospitals." "New York's 18 largest private employers, 8 are hospitals and 4 are banks." "The American health care market has transformed tax-exempt "nonprofit" hospitals into the town's most profitable business and largest employers" -- excerpt from TIME magazine March 4, 2013

「休士頓前十大雇主中，五個是醫院」「紐約市前十八大私人企業雇主，八個是醫院，四個是銀行」　「美國的醫療體系利用"非營利組織免稅待遇"把醫院轉變成利潤最高、員工最多的企業」
所以事實上費城到處都看得見醫護人員，可能是因為費城三大醫院也在費城前十大雇主之列吧

The next story of the dark truth of the U.S.

This Wednesday, I run into a beggar on the street, She said "how are you" to me, I respond, than walked quickly to avoid this woman who said hi to me, a stranger.

Than she said "excuse me" from my back, and I stopped my steps and turned around. I know she must be a beggar, I had heard "excuse me" spoke out from beggars more than other people. It's like I saw her before, but it's okay, I had made up my mind to give one dollar to the next beggar run into me.
She said: I am in my hard time and brbrbr...
I said: Okay, I'll give you one dollar.

When I was taking my wallet out of my pocket carefully, she kept talking to me: it's really hard to me, my husband is in the hospital, and I am going to the train station, so can you give me more than one dollar?

Wait, it's like last time I saw you and a man, who said himself as your husband, walked on the street and asked me for money....
This story end here, my sign is Taurus and I am really stingy.

No matter her husband is in the hospital or not, the dark truth is: 62% of bankruptcies are related to illness or medical bills in the U.S., no wonder most beggar have a relative in the hospital, no matter true or not.....