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ck4829

(35,718 posts)
Thu Dec 15, 2022, 04:38 PM Dec 2022

Lessons from Germany to help solve the U.S. medical debt crisis

The Saarland's residents are sicker than elsewhere in Germany. And like West Virginia, the region faces economic hurdles. For decades, German politicians, business leaders and unions have labored to adjust to the mining industry's slow demise.

But this is a healthier place than West Virginia in many respects. The region's residents are less likely to die prematurely, data shows. And on average, they live four years longer than West Virginians.

There is another important difference between this former coal territory and its Appalachian counterpart: West Virginia's economic struggles have been compounded by medical debt, a burden that affects about 100 million people in the U.S. — in no state more than West Virginia.

In the Saarland, medical debt is practically nonexistent. It's so rare in Germany that the federal government's statistical office doesn't even track it.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/12/14/1142601526/lessons-from-germany-to-help-solve-the-u-s-medical-debt-crisis

"Medical debt is practically nonexistent", so they don't experience the FREEDOM to go bankrupt from medical bills? Awful.

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Lessons from Germany to help solve the U.S. medical debt crisis (Original Post) ck4829 Dec 2022 OP
The constant stress from debt can make you sick questionseverything Dec 2022 #1
Fear of medical expenses also prevents people from seeking timely medical care. tblue37 Dec 2022 #2
That's definitely true, so by the time they get it, the problem is usually worse and more expensive questionseverything Dec 2022 #3
How true! BigmanPigman Dec 2022 #4

questionseverything

(10,025 posts)
3. That's definitely true, so by the time they get it, the problem is usually worse and more expensive
Thu Dec 15, 2022, 04:56 PM
Dec 2022

To treat

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