Huh. Yeah, she probably knows what it's like to have em just throw an ace bandage on a broken bone and call it good. American Healthcare is ridiculous.
I fucked up my ankle while on vacation in Florence 10 years ago. I had to pay everything out of pocket: doctor's visit for initial examination & referral to an x-ray clinic (€50), and the actual x-ray (€40). I'm mainly posting this to point out the insanity that are US medical procedure prices. I'm German & I remember looking up MRI prices here for if you had to pay out of pocket: around €300 for a head, thorax or knee MRI. In the US, people die before they can afford the 1000s of $ for an MRI.
French dude here, my basic "Mutuelle" costs me less than 45€ per month (actually out of work, it would be provided by my job though). BUT : since Macron and his goons came to power in 2017, they worked pretty hard to reduce beds in hospitals. Also a big issue that we get from stupid old "law" called "Numerus Closus" : there are not enough new Doctors to replace the ones who are retirering..! Also : Emergency Services a like 24/7 on strike, you should be taken care of but wait for hours... 🙄
I do have a legit question about French heathcare. I was just there for 3 weeks, and noticed a significant number of older people using these. While you do see these in the US, the number of people in France using them definitely caught my attention. Can anyone from France enlighten me on why they are so common there?
The stupid crutches they issue in the USA require two hands and risk clattering to the ground every time you have to so much as operate a lightswitch. Everyone should be using those, except they cost a dollar more (I'm exaggerating here but you probably get it) so in the US you get the shitty kind that's uncomfortable as hell on your armpits while also being extremely inefficient & limit your ability to use your hands.
Yeah, I get that, but these people didn't look like they were using them on a temporary basis (as you would do with crutches in the US) but rather as a permanent thing, due to age. Not to raise everyone's hackles, but I thought maybe it was due to not being able to get hip/knee replacements for some reason. That was just a guess, I really have no idea, and was very curious about it, but didn't want to ask out of courtesy.
Probably just because they are far more reliable than a simple cane, which requires maintaining a stiff wrist AND a strong grip with the operative hand. The wrist is a potential weak point. Those bypass the wrist completely by allowing the force to be applied to the much stiffer lower arm bones, which can much more easily reinforce the hand's grip, so they are at least 100% more stable and a lot less tiring on the muscles of the hand & wrist, especially when walking any distance whatsoever.
The friend was doing the way they do in France (obviously) because an ambulance is probably the fastest way to get her there (can cut through traffic lights, has emergency vehicle priority, etc.), and probably also the cheapest & most convenient way as well.
I mean yeah, but I still would have replied “I can drive you but the ambulance is a better option. I will drive there also to keep you company. If you need to stay there overnight I will pack your clothes and stuff and stop by the shop to get some snacks for you”
That’s the response I would have expected to hear from an actual friend when I’m on the floor crying from pain.
I dunno. I'd just want to get there asap, & her friend recommended the usual way. It's a free service. People get paid to do it & are good at it. The drivers know exactly what entrance to pull up to, fastest way to get inside, etc., which, if you're not used to accessing a hospital (could be a large building with multiple entrances), might take some time. I think you're being a bit judgmental considering that's just how they do things over there.
It’s not about the ambulance. We have free ambulance service and healthcare in my country as well.
It’s about the “I won’t help you in any way at all because my studying is more important than the possibly life threatening and super painful condition of the person who is supposedly my friend” stance.
Otomasoteraph
And the ambulance, for anybody wondering, is free.
IgnisInvictus
Huh. Yeah, she probably knows what it's like to have em just throw an ace bandage on a broken bone and call it good. American Healthcare is ridiculous.
ParallelParkingInABurka
I fucked up my ankle while on vacation in Florence 10 years ago. I had to pay everything out of pocket: doctor's visit for initial examination & referral to an x-ray clinic (€50), and the actual x-ray (€40). I'm mainly posting this to point out the insanity that are US medical procedure prices. I'm German & I remember looking up MRI prices here for if you had to pay out of pocket: around €300 for a head, thorax or knee MRI. In the US, people die before they can afford the 1000s of $ for an MRI.
Titilve74
French dude here, my basic "Mutuelle" costs me less than 45€ per month (actually out of work, it would be provided by my job though).
BUT : since Macron and his goons came to power in 2017, they worked pretty hard to reduce beds in hospitals.
Also a big issue that we get from stupid old "law" called "Numerus Closus" : there are not enough new Doctors to replace the ones who are retirering..!
Also : Emergency Services a like 24/7 on strike, you should be taken care of but wait for hours... 🙄
Hyzenthlay021
I do have a legit question about French heathcare. I was just there for 3 weeks, and noticed a significant number of older people using these. While you do see these in the US, the number of people in France using them definitely caught my attention. Can anyone from France enlighten me on why they are so common there?
MrVaderSkywalker
In the us you use electric chair/buggy, french prefer to walk by themselves
MediocreExtremist
'cause people can afford it when they need them
cenfou2tout
Those are the kind of things you use when the problem you have isn't unbearable...
In the US those are the kind of problems you say to yourself "oh it's gonna be better by next week, I don't need to see a doctor for only that..."
spontaneous9
The stupid crutches they issue in the USA require two hands and risk clattering to the ground every time you have to so much as operate a lightswitch. Everyone should be using those, except they cost a dollar more (I'm exaggerating here but you probably get it) so in the US you get the shitty kind that's uncomfortable as hell on your armpits while also being extremely inefficient & limit your ability to use your hands.
Hyzenthlay021
Yeah, I get that, but these people didn't look like they were using them on a temporary basis (as you would do with crutches in the US) but rather as a permanent thing, due to age. Not to raise everyone's hackles, but I thought maybe it was due to not being able to get hip/knee replacements for some reason. That was just a guess, I really have no idea, and was very curious about it, but didn't want to ask out of courtesy.
spontaneous9
Probably just because they are far more reliable than a simple cane, which requires maintaining a stiff wrist AND a strong grip with the operative hand. The wrist is a potential weak point. Those bypass the wrist completely by allowing the force to be applied to the much stiffer lower arm bones, which can much more easily reinforce the hand's grip, so they are at least 100% more stable and a lot less tiring on the muscles of the hand & wrist, especially when walking any distance whatsoever.
Seethreepeeoh
Yeah sure France is great and all, but if you try to push a bit more capitalism they’ll throw a park bench through you local McDonalds
crasshtack
This seams like a feature, not a bug
IgnisInvictus
I'm totally fucking okay with that.
Peden1
That might be what America needs at this point
sneakinglurkingpeepingguy
It's what the US needed 40 years ago but it's never to late to start
Peden1
Well said (for the federal agent monitoring this, I do not condone violence) lol
Yasashii93
So she was lying on the floor, crying in pain and her “friend” wouldn’t drive her to the hospital because… they had to study?
She needs better friends.
charondaboatman
Yeah, this was the takeaway for me, too. +1
spontaneous9
The friend was doing the way they do in France (obviously) because an ambulance is probably the fastest way to get her there (can cut through traffic lights, has emergency vehicle priority, etc.), and probably also the cheapest & most convenient way as well.
Yasashii93
I mean yeah, but I still would have replied “I can drive you but the ambulance is a better option. I will drive there also to keep you company. If you need to stay there overnight I will pack your clothes and stuff and stop by the shop to get some snacks for you”
That’s the response I would have expected to hear from an actual friend when I’m on the floor crying from pain.
spontaneous9
I dunno. I'd just want to get there asap, & her friend recommended the usual way.
It's a free service. People get paid to do it & are good at it. The drivers know exactly what entrance to pull up to, fastest way to get inside, etc., which, if you're not used to accessing a hospital (could be a large building with multiple entrances), might take some time. I think you're being a bit judgmental considering that's just how they do things over there.
Yasashii93
It’s not about the ambulance. We have free ambulance service and healthcare in my country as well.
It’s about the “I won’t help you in any way at all because my studying is more important than the possibly life threatening and super painful condition of the person who is supposedly my friend” stance.