Ra sufferer

[Rocky07]

Hi everyone from aussie land Happy Easter I was wondering if anyone from the usa could tell me if people from australia on a disabilty pension can get any assistance there if they choose to get hospital treatment there if so what is the procedure I doubt it is possible but just thought I would asl

[AgedCrone]

Dream on Rocky.....in USA you need medical insurance or a very flexible credit card......whether you are on a disability pension or a millionaire you just need to be able to pay for medical treatment.

Sorry to dash your hope!

AC

[Rocky07 in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you agedcrone I would also like to know. how does the health system work for people living in the usa who are on a disability pension also what if someone sponsored someone from another country

[AgedCrone in reply to Rocky07]

Don't know how people on disability manage in USA, unless they are ex US military personnel for whom there is a Veteran's medical service.

I do know it's very difficult to be able to move to live in USA unless you meet a very strict criteria.....basically you have to take a medical, be able to afford to purchase a substantial property, & prove you have sufficient income to support yourself....& even then it's nit guaranteed,

There is no such thing a medical tourism unless you arrange specifically to visit US for treatment that you agree to pay for.

You can visit for up to three months on a tourist visa, but would need generous medical insurance as there is no free health service - unless you have an accident & then people receive very rudimentary treatment to enable them to return home My medical insurance for USA has a $10m benefit....no one should even contemplate visiting USA without good insurance.

Re sponsoring you should check the US Immigration website on line.......

Hope these answers help.

AC

[helixhelix]

Rocky, if you are thinking about going to America to get treatment from someone you have seen information about then do think carefully. In America doctors can advertise, which they can't do elsewhere, and that can give the impression that this is a unique treatment/surgery/procedure. So it is quite possible that there will be someone equally expert or specialist in Australia, but just that much more difficult to find information.

Also, the regulations on drugs that can be used are different, so there is more experimental treatment. But just because it costs a lot of money it may not be right for you.

There is a lot of great information on the internet, but also a lot that is less reliable. Always triple check.

[AgedCrone]

Also HH the charges by the doctors who advertise are eye watering as they know people scouring for information from outside US are desperate & would have no idea of medical charges.......which vary wildly not only from State to State but within a State...difference between Harley Street charges & the local clinic for just a run of the mill appointment.

But on the other hand my 70+ cousin in USA fell & fractured her pelvis. She was in a 5 star LA hospital, in a private room, her own telephone line, own TV & food to die for....& she pays less for her Private Health Insurance than she would pay here, because something like Medicare pays something towards the balance of hospital charges when you are over a certain age.

So there might be something to say for having Private medical insurance here if the NHS would pay the private hospital what it would cost them if the person who was in an NHS hospital, had insurance to pick up the excess. It could mean more room in NHS hospitals too as I'm sure people who are still working would want fast treatment & would buy insurance ...or get it as a job perk....to get back to work faster.

But I second what you say to Rocky.....double check everything & run it by a doctor in Oz...even if you pay for that advice.......there is no such thing as a free lunch...especially in US medicine.

[Hidden in reply to AgedCrone]

Medicare is for people over the age of 65 you apply for it as a senior. If you still have private insurance and are over the age of 65, then medicare will top up your private health care. If you are under 65, there is medicaid and you need to be low income...and what I've learnt from Obama care or ACA ...

[AgedCrone in reply to Hidden]

I knew it was something like that Suzanne, but I was really surprised when I visited her when she got home & we discussed private medical costs. Here you pay for the Private Health Insurance & if the Doctor or the hospital fees are more than your insurance covers you have to pay the excess...if you are over 70 the cost of Private Insurance is prohibitive.

[Hidden in reply to AgedCrone]

Really? I have private insurance through my job for things like perscriptions.private rooms in a hospita etc. Our extra cost at the hospital are for TV's etc.

[meanoldtomcat in reply to AgedCrone]

In us... I no cuz I live there... If ur under 18 or are disabled... U get good insurance thru the state u live in. But in my case, I'm 47y/o... Have been diagnosed bout 1yr with RA involving multiple joints... Neck, back, elbows, hands, fingers, hips ,knees ankles feet and toes plus fibromyalgia... Not to mention all my other health problems.. I be worked when health wud let me since diagnosis and when I missed work I was covered by family medical leave act but still was terminated wk ago. Can't get disability due to my age... So when my insurance thru my last job expires I guess I'll have to learn to live without much needed medication

[AgedCrone]

Back in the 1980's I was thinking of applying to live/work permanently in USA. I had a house in UK worth way more than I would have bought in LA,& as I had a job in USA, I would have been solvent, but even with Health Benefits from my job...I found by using a relocation specialist that should I have a serious accident or become hospitalised I would have been in dire financial states.

As it turned out I came home to live but in 1994 on a visit to LA we were rear ended by a car & my neck was broken......of course I had medical travel insurance & it was dealt with, my neck was stabilised & I flew home for the surgery & private insurance here paid for it.....all told the medical costs were well over $100k.

It was so worth every $ Ipaid that relocation guy. You don't mess around with medical fees.....either here or in USA!

[Hidden in reply to AgedCrone]

Oh my. I'm glad you survived that ordeal. Scary to think you had a broken neck. Gosh it gives me shivers just thinking about it.

[AgedCrone in reply to Hidden]

Unfortunately it's giving me more than the shivers now! When I had the surgery the neuro surgeon said I would probably get OA in the vertebra above & below the site of the operation & he was right.

I had a bone graft from my hip to repair C4/5 vertebrae & I have acupuncture when it plays up. But when I fell & broke my arm in December I gave my neck areal wrench, so I'm having physio & heat treatment to calm it down now.

Not content with that accident.....a drunk/drugged driver crashed into me in Florida in 2000! At least he went to jail!

I guess I was just born lucky?

[Hidden in reply to AgedCrone]

Born Lucky?...Strange word don't you think? You are very lucky to be alive and walking.....but lucky to have been hit by a drunk driver?

It's like my MS. I was lucky it just went away before drugs were invented....but lucky I had it? No..

[AgedCrone in reply to Hidden]

It's British sense of Black Humour....means exactly the opposite to what you say!

I wasn't badly hurt, just a few bruises from the seatbelt cutting in across my chest.

It was quite amusing....the ambulance Paramedic introduced himself "Hi, I'm Gerrard, I'm your paramedic today.....which hospital would you like to go to?" I just wanted to giggle.

How the heck would I know which hospital.....in the end I went to one near my apartment! In fact I spent three days trying to give them my insurance details...they just said to bring it in when I went home!

But I guess it was Flakey Florida& they did have my drivers licence to prove who I was!

[AgedCrone]

I spent one night in a private hospital having foot surgery around 2012. I went in at 7am, had the surgery, woke up after 6pm & the kitchen was closed. I was offered a sandwich. I had tea & toast the next morning & left on my crutches!But I did have a TV & a phone which had I used it charged about ten times what it cost the hospital !

The bill for the room alone was around $1500. You could get a night at Claridges for less than that, probably with dinner & a full breakfast.

My insurance paid for it but I think it was exorbitant .....if I see my Rheumy Privately now it costs $175.....in LA my cousin with her insurance only pays around $80.