I came to Russia and being from the USA, I never thought much about why it was wrong to pay such exuberant medical costs and fees, just to try to stay healthy…
I always heard about European healthcare and healthcare from Mexico and Canada. Cost is either dirt cheap and or free….I simply struggled to have insurance in the US and paid ungodly expensive fees to have it. With sometimes huge deductibles that meant I had to pay out of pocket for many things anyway…
Then I saw healthcare first hand in Russia…
It stunned me to see what Russians could get done and no charge for the services. Maybe the services lacked in some aspects compared to the ones in America, but the basics where free and when you add things like excellent doctors, no prescription cheap drugs and other tidbits….
The strange to me, things, such as supply your own sheets for hospital beds and other idiosyncrasies are okay in the end results. Family members work hard to help someone who is hospitalized and brings the stuff that is demanded. Being hospitalized is not something done lightly and people plan for such events…
But I did not have to use a hospital to finish any tests and I finally am done…
This last Monday I had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy done. My clinic is very professional and very good. These last two tests are the end of the tests that I paid for to have done to check up to see if Grouchy Old Bears are going to live another day…
The tests I had done are in this post below…
This series of tests cost 50,000 rubles and right now as of today $745.50 is the exact cost. I paid an extra 5,000 rubles ($74.5) to have some extra work done (MRI with contrast for my prostate) and found out prostrate is okay….the cost includes all lab work, tests, doctors consultations, supplies, equipment and whatnot…
I still have to spend a few days and talk to all the main doctors and find out what I need to do for healthcare moving forward as the years go by. Doctor consultations are included in fee charged already…
I also need to find a new cardiologist and get on track with that issue, I live with daily…
I am not saying that Russian healthcare is better than what you get in America. It is not better, but it is comparable and it is free for the most part. It is even literally free for this American. I pay, but I pay such small amounts that it makes me wonder how badly we are being ripped off in the USA? We are being ripped off for our healthcare in America, yet we accept it as normal. normal for us, not the rest of the world…
I look at cost as a major issue to getting proper care done. If you cannot afford the care, you may not get it done. If medicine is too expensive, you may not get the proper care. …
Another thing that is nice in Russia, the doctors will take the time to talk with you and all results are given to you when rendered as services. You have an x-ray? The x-ray goes home with you for you to keep to use as necessary….MRI results are put on a flash drive and or a CD disc and it is yours to have…
Today I have finally gotten back stabilized again. My blood pressure went out of wack, my blood sugar went out of wack, for I had to stop certain medicines and could not eat properly for three day before these last tests. Yesterday, I finally was able to start stabilizing and last night I finally slept okay… (Monday night was terrible!)
I work 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year trying to keep myself healthy enough to have a good life with Svetochka…
She happens to want me around!
That is kinda nice… 😉
WtR