• volvoxvsmarla@sopuli.xyz
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    15 hours ago

    I once collapsed on the streets in Russia when I was an exchange student there. Started seeing a message bubble over and over in one eye, then collapsed, I couldn’t get “help” out. Idk what happened or how I got there but I woke up in the hospital. Someone must have called an ambulance and I had a CT scan of my head while I was out. They did blood work and whatnot. Got food, it was just oatmeal and bread, but I mean, it’s something.

    I had traveller’s insurance and wackily tried to explain that this is common and a “I pay out of pocket they reimburse me” thing instead of Universal Basic Insurance so they decided nah not worth it just go home. I haven’t paid a single cent. I’m not even sure I’m in their records, although I did show my passport.

    I was in the ER on another trip to Russia, they really can’t be bothered. Checked me for appendicitis and thankfully I was cleared for a flight home.

    I mean they were hella rude and have that typical baseline of Russian angriness and annoyance but you know what, I got taken care of well.

    • Allero@lemmy.today
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      14 hours ago

      I’d say Russian medics are less angry and more tired and overburdened a lot of the time. This does reflect on their attitudes, but that’s not out of bad intent.

      But yes, what you said is true, and that’s how it should be. Honestly, I’d rather just have emergency medical service get free of all that insurance paperwork and just do their thing. It’s not that they’ll ever deny medical service anyway.

      • volvoxvsmarla@sopuli.xyz
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        13 hours ago

        In my case I think they really were angry because I am a Russian (only) citizen but I have never lived in Russia. I don’t hold an inner passport, only an outer passport (absolutely unfathomable to them), and I actually did at a point try to get the basic insurance set up, but I would have needed the inner passport for that. For them it was absolutely whack that I am a Russian citizen that has no Basic Insurance number and my very special circumstances (to add to that, at that point I was fluent in speaking and absolutely illiterate in reading and writing) were too complicated for them to follow and “every person has an insurance number wtf you’re Russian wtf is wrong with you just go and get a fucking number what’s your problem wtf why don’t you have a passport everyone has a passport from age 14 onwards wtf what is wrong with you” was absolutely the attitude.

        But really, I understand, my situation was very complicated and my reasons were valid but going into all these details in a clinic, let alone an ER setting, would absolutely tire and drain the last remaining energy out of them. I absolutely prefer them being not lovey dovey and hand holding while telling me with a compassionate smile that they cannot do a CT scan without an insurance number, but instead getting necessary treatment and analysis on the spot. I don’t care if you call me names. I’ll forever be grateful to them.

        • Allero@lemmy.today
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          12 hours ago

          I understand how confused they were!

          Medics are absolutely not prepared to see something like this. Your case is very much out of the ordinary, and honestly, I didn’t know you can have outer passport without an inner one. Doesn’t the consulate provide one? Or did you just never bother to? How were you legally present within Russia without an internal passport?

          Glad that the situation worked out fine, though

            • Allero@lemmy.today
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              4 hours ago

              We mean, internal vs international

              In Russia at least, there can be two types of passports:

              • Internal (внутренний), which serves to identify a citizen within the county
              • International (заграничный), which serves to identify a citizen abroad

              The international (travel) passport is laid out in accordance with international guidelines and hosts visas, stamps of arrival and departure etc. It is meant to represent you as a Russian citizen abroad, and it’s the most essential travel document. It is written in English. You can also have two copies of the outer passport.

              The internal (local) passport contains detailed information about person’s place of redidence, marriage status, children under 14, military duty and other things that are mostly essential for the local authorities. It is written in Russian. You can have only one.

              International passport is normally only used abroad, and internal one - within Russia (and it can also identify you in Abkhazia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, South Osetia).

  • wpb@lemmy.world
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    12 hours ago

    TIL: Indonesia, population 288 million, is not a major country. I wonder what makes a country major. Oh and also China?

  • Squizzy@lemmy.world
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    17 hours ago

    I live in one of the top countries and health insurance is almost required. Now its not as expensive but it could be thousands a year.

    Doctor is expensive and difficult to get.

    The US sucks but we suck too, just less.

    • blackbeans@lemmy.zip
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      3 hours ago

      However the goal is still to provide everyone with healthcare. If you cannot avoid the insurance you will get a subsidy or even an exemption in most countries.

  • Fleur_@aussie.zone
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    19 hours ago

    The US isn’t a major country they’re a shithole and thus it’s unfair to compare them with the rest

  • Fizz@lemmy.nz
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    1 day ago

    New Zealand mentioned as a major country. Very funny Mr Sander’s

  • plyth@feddit.org
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    1 day ago

    There are wait times and a tendency to turn healthcare private by making the public option not good enough. Enough countries are on their way to copy the US.

    The big problem is that the prices are decoupled from the costs. The US healthcare system would be affordable if insurance companies couldn’t negotiate for their own rates.

      • plyth@feddit.org
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        19 hours ago

        That’s exactly why public systems will be dismantled, to make the remaining options more profitable.

    • ddplf@szmer.info
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      15 hours ago

      Sorry bud, but you guys are pretty fucking important to us - Eastern Europeans - right now, not gonna lie.

    • thedarkfly@feddit.org
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      1 day ago

      I wouldn’t say that the Nordic countries are minor. As a Belgian, I’ll abstain on the status of Belgium.

      But in no way I’d call Luxembourg major 😄

      Anyway, this classification is subjective and reveals the personal biases of Sanders towards, apparently, rich countries.

      • Nalivai@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I mean, yeah, he obviously talks about rich countries, that’s the whole thing. It’s easy to tell why poor country wouldn’t have good universal healthcare, but for a rich one there is no excuse.

        • thedarkfly@feddit.org
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          21 hours ago

          No problem with that! It’s nitpicking but I’d have preferred he used a more objective qualifier. And a bit less… judgmental towards what he thinks are “minor” countries.

          • Nalivai@lemmy.world
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            21 hours ago

            Yeah, as an emigrant from a “minor” country, I am just grateful that he didn’t use the term “shithole” that is so popular among american politicians

      • mirshafie@europe.pub
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        1 day ago

        Yeah, it’s more interesting that countries like Iran and Vietnam have very cheap or free basic medical services. Sure you might not get all of the resources that they can provide you in Sweden, but the principle is the same.

    • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      My guess is it’s a nicer way to say the common “1st world nation” terminology that developed after the world wars and modified a bit for economic growth and such.

      Most “1st world nation” lists will be between 30-40 these days. 35 in this list

    • drkt@scribe.disroot.org
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      1 day ago

      And Denmark does not guarantee healthcare as a human right. Emergency services are free, but if your problem isn’t literally killing you right now then you are guaranteed a consultation with a doctor who will tell you to fuck yourself.