Non-Americans, what's it like when you're sick and need to go to the doctor?
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Which country are you in and what's a typical doctor visit like? How much? Wait time? Etc
Ireland here. I have been relatively lucky with my health since I've been here (last 10 years). The GP I go to gives a small discount because of where i work. I pay 50 euros a pop to see the doc (usually 60 I think) but the last two times I needed to see the doc it was a same day appointment. I paid for insurance the first year I was here, tried to use it when I saw a GP and they laughed in my face. Also frequently had my daughter seen (for free), they seem to keep increasing the age for which kids are seen for free, now up to age 7?
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Which country are you in and what's a typical doctor visit like? How much? Wait time? Etc
Germany.
Well, the health system is great, as long as you don't get sick. Or need life-saving emergency care immediately.
But not for many things in between.
Example ADHD: The GP can write a referral to get diagnosed, for free, but no psychiatrist or psychological therapist (the only ones allowed to do that) will take you. So best bet is to pay out of pocket in a practice that does it over video and is recognised in Germany. Can be done under 1k EUR that way, at least (~ 2k EUR with a private, out-of-network therapist). Recurring prescription and private doctor is about EUR 150 per month; a therapy session costs EUR 200. It is absolutely realistic to get the prescriptions and meds covered by a doctor in the insurance network, though. Therapy through insurance is also a possibility if it's not urgent and you don't ACTUALLY have ADHD or depression so you can do many phone calls, like 6 - 12 months, and you don't care who treats you.
Glasses are also not covered, e. g. workplace glasses > EUR 500 out of pocket. But, randomly, a write-off. Treatment by a homeopathic practitioner - covered, just for the lulz.
But yes, about to die within 48 hours? As long as you can convince them that this is the case (got to self-diagnose and be a persistent ass if it's not obvious), you'll get help, it might be at a very decent level even compared to many other 1st world countries, and it'll be completely covered by insurance.
Also, the monthly premium is EUR 1100 (includes nursing care insurance; there isn't much nursing happening either way though). Employer pays half, freelancers pay full. It's not legal to quit and be "uninsured". Also, you can have it lowered if you can prove that you make under 66k per year (to 19 % of income).
Oh, and only the insurance premium is a tax write-off. What you have to pay out of pocket (talking about treatment that your GP deemed essential, not dental bleeching) is paid for by your net income.
Some other random things also work out within a month and are covered, such as a quick eye checkup, dental checkup / very basic dental filling (pay out of pocket for most filling materials, but not the time), anything a GP or family doctor can do in 10 minutes.
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Which country are you in and what's a typical doctor visit like? How much? Wait time? Etc
wrote last edited by [email protected]Poland:
If I'm sick or it's the 1st step in getting something diagnosed: I call the (public) clinic to book an appointment, get a date within like 3 days max. I usually leave with a prescription and paid doctor's leave for work. The visit costs nothing. If it's urgent you can walk in without an appointment or call the ambulance/go to the ER in your local hospital. This is free.
Sometimes the doctor gives you a medical referral to a specialist or for a certain test. This can be realized in the public health system, or at a private clinic.
Wait times vary a lot - some things like a blood test are very quick, but some specialists in the public system have very long wait times. Like, 6 months to a year. Some surgeries in the public system can take even longer. The public system is free, or has a small symbolic fee.
The private system is much faster for certain specialists - dentists, psychologists, dermatologists, injury rehabilitation, ect. but it also can't do everything. In my experience, almost all serious and niche surgeries are done in the public system for example.
Overall it's a decent experience, but the system is severely underfunded. This isn't really a case of mismanagement imo, it's genuinely just a lack of money in the system. Some surgeries can get delayed because money allocated for them ran out for the year.
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Germany.
Well, the health system is great, as long as you don't get sick. Or need life-saving emergency care immediately.
But not for many things in between.
Example ADHD: The GP can write a referral to get diagnosed, for free, but no psychiatrist or psychological therapist (the only ones allowed to do that) will take you. So best bet is to pay out of pocket in a practice that does it over video and is recognised in Germany. Can be done under 1k EUR that way, at least (~ 2k EUR with a private, out-of-network therapist). Recurring prescription and private doctor is about EUR 150 per month; a therapy session costs EUR 200. It is absolutely realistic to get the prescriptions and meds covered by a doctor in the insurance network, though. Therapy through insurance is also a possibility if it's not urgent and you don't ACTUALLY have ADHD or depression so you can do many phone calls, like 6 - 12 months, and you don't care who treats you.
Glasses are also not covered, e. g. workplace glasses > EUR 500 out of pocket. But, randomly, a write-off. Treatment by a homeopathic practitioner - covered, just for the lulz.
But yes, about to die within 48 hours? As long as you can convince them that this is the case (got to self-diagnose and be a persistent ass if it's not obvious), you'll get help, it might be at a very decent level even compared to many other 1st world countries, and it'll be completely covered by insurance.
Also, the monthly premium is EUR 1100 (includes nursing care insurance; there isn't much nursing happening either way though). Employer pays half, freelancers pay full. It's not legal to quit and be "uninsured". Also, you can have it lowered if you can prove that you make under 66k per year (to 19 % of income).
Oh, and only the insurance premium is a tax write-off. What you have to pay out of pocket (talking about treatment that your GP deemed essential, not dental bleeching) is paid for by your net income.
Some other random things also work out within a month and are covered, such as a quick eye checkup, dental checkup / very basic dental filling (pay out of pocket for most filling materials, but not the time), anything a GP or family doctor can do in 10 minutes.
That...sounds much worse than what I or anyone in my immediate family and friend group have in the US.
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Very affordable! 170 euros is less than typical US Obamacare insurance, which isn't top-grade and I don't think includes dentistry.
385 is less than typical Obamacare per MONTH, depending on the state you're in.
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Canada
Wait 7 years to get a family doctor. Wait 3 months to get an actual appointment. Lose family doctor. Rinse and repeat.
wrote last edited by [email protected]How do you lose a family doctor? Like, they quit?
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Germany
Had 3 surgeries (wisedom teeth, nose bone correction and a refilling tooth surgery), an X-Ray, MRI, and i think 4 doctor visits plus all 3 months a psychiatrist to get my adhd medication.
The only thing i had to pay was 50€ for a none concret filling on my tooth, and 30€ for 6 days in hospital.
Hospital food was better than i expected and always heared about.
Had to wait a year for that surgery but the other specialist appointments were really quick in only a few months. Especially the wisdomtooth was in 2 weeks after the call for an appointment
Wait time was only a few minutes.
But had an appointment at a dermitologist and there i waited 3 hours!! Almost walked out. And i wanted was more info about my skin type and laser hair removal.
Everything is covered by the insurance though it needs a huge reforms. There is a two class system and government workers dont pay into it at all but get the Premium benefits.
And that the insurance companys are covering less and less with dental now only 1 check up every half year.Yes i am outrages that only concret to fill holes or build up a tooth is free. Fucking concret!! It is an outrage!
Any idea why your experience and /u/Addlemus ' seem so different? The premium benefits?
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385 is less than typical Obamacare per MONTH, depending on the state you're in.
My bad, I quoted their yearly "at risk" not their monthly premium. Fixed it.
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Which country are you in and what's a typical doctor visit like? How much? Wait time? Etc
I was on vacation in Portugal and twisted my ankle badly. It was in remote area, so hospital was not the best. But experience was ok. It was in a town with around 25k people. 2 hours of waiting. x-ray and doctor visit costed me 55 euros.
In my home country I pay 20 euros per month for private health insurance. This includes basic dental insurance. I guess, most expensive procedure I had is MRI of brain, but it was also fully covered so I’m not sure what was the price. There is free healthcare but I only had to resort to it once
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I was literally in the ER on Tuesday.
You must be in one of the provinces that are on the privatisation slippery slope. Alberta isn't really yet.
Fucking LOL, nice try shill.
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That...sounds much worse than what I or anyone in my immediate family and friend group have in the US.
We don't have the right to just quit the system entirely, and that's a problem. That way, I pay the 1100 monthly premium and still nearly everything out of pocket.
The German system is far superior when you need immediate life-saving treatment AND are very very poor. Appendicitis, arm chopped off, cancer - they'll save you, and it costs nothing.
Something that will probably kill you in the next 8 years, or a curable condition like depression that makes you unable to work for years? No chance for treatment with coverage, but got to keep paying the premium anyway. Well, if unable to work, it's free, but you will not get your depression treated anytime soon.
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And if you really want to pay for that appointment, you can schedule one for R$ 50~200 (more or less 8~40 dollars) depending on the place you go.
depending on the doctor it will be more like 300-600... and healthcare insurance is not cheap, and not widely available from employers
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Which country are you in and what's a typical doctor visit like? How much? Wait time? Etc
wrote last edited by [email protected]We go to see a private doctor.
Here in Costa Rica you have to wait like 5 hours to get attended on a public hospital.
For the appointment you have to pay like $50 plus medications
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Canadian here.
This one time 10 years ago I drove to my family doctor's office without an appointment and got lucky that it was a walk in day.
I saw my doctor within an hour of arriving and it cost me nothing.
Hey! You better check if your family doctor is still there and say hi. At the minimum get a tetanus shot.
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Hey! You better check if your family doctor is still there and say hi. At the minimum get a tetanus shot.
I have seen my family doctor many times since then. No worries.
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Yeah, our system is quite ridiculous. Health insurance is mandatory in Switzerland. But we waste a lot of money paying health insurance marketing campaigns and sales forces. Its just a waste of money.
Yeah, I don't disagree with you there.
I could've gone deeper into the insurance systems with the different plans and so on, I could've discussed how hospitals are funded and how workforce is being recruited. I worry a lot about our system and how it will look like by the time I will actually need it.
Almost half our doctors will be retiring in the next 5 years.
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Fucking LOL, nice try shill.
wrote last edited by [email protected]Ah, look at that post history. Openly fascist troll, never mind.
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Any idea why your experience and /u/Addlemus ' seem so different? The premium benefits?
The doctor appointment time could be difference in region or just an constantly overrun doctor.
Glasses arent covered, yes, but you can deduct them from tax because you need them.
The ADHD i have no idea what he is on about. Neither me nore my parents had to pay for the therapie sessions or psychiatric stay. It could be he went to privat therapist that only takes selfpaying patients (part of the 2 class system of health care in germany. It sucks hard) not many psychiatrists take "Kassenpatienten".
Didnt read their full comment
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Which country are you in and what's a typical doctor visit like? How much? Wait time? Etc
Brazil
An USian journalist recently described his health care treatment in Brazil:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/06/29/brazil-health-care-sus-hospitals/I believe this is a good description of the public health care here.
I disagree with his statement on workers' strike.
He didn't mention that Bolsonaro and Temer (last 2 presidents) reduced spending in public health care which probably impacted the hospital this journalist got taken care. -
When you don't have health insurance, I'd assume? Because the tax system is basically the UK health insurance so I'm not sure if it's a fair comparison in that case (the amount you pay through taxes or to a private insurance company might be very different though, but then that'd imo be the number to compare)
Oh, that's with insurance. How much you have to pay out of that amount is determined by what your insurance plan covers.
