Health care in the United States is notoriously expensive: it costs so much that it leaves people around the world shocked.
A TikTok from user @joeukshows showed how shocked Brits were to discover the price it takes to call an ambulance, give birth and even carry your own baby after a C-section.
One of the first topics Joe raises with bystanders is the cost of an ambulance if someone needs to be transported to the hospital.
One man said matter-of-factly: ‘Zero payment. Zero payment.’
However, Joe reveals that the actual cost was around $2,500, prompting a shocked, open-mouthed response.
The average price of an ambulance in the US varies greatly depending on the state and the type of care needed.
Better care states that the average price can range from $500 to more than $3,500 without insurance.
And unlike the United States, across the pond, in the United Kingdom, ambulances are free for anyone who is seriously ill.
One video shows a handful of pedestrians in the UK being asked to guess how much variety of medical services there is across the pond in the US.
The service is covered by the UK’s universal healthcare scheme provided by the National Health Service (NHS) and funded by taxes.
Americans, on the other hand, have to pay for health insurance or pay thousands of dollars out of pocket to receive treatment and health services.
This makes the United States one of the only countries among its peers that does not provide its citizens with universal healthcare.
And although the United States spends about twice what its peer countries spend on health care for its residents, the country still has the highest maternal mortality rate and citizens live shorter lives, are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and die. by suicide.
The high cost of medical transportation has led sick Americans to not call 911 for help for fear of unexpected bills for ambulance rides, which are often not covered by insurance.
A YouGov 2024 survey It was found that of the 47 percent of Americans who ever needed an ambulance, 23 percent avoided calling one due to the high cost.
Instead, people turn to friends, drive themselves, or use transportation services like Ubers and taxis to travel to the hospital and receive the care they need; In some cases, people skipped receiving care altogether because of costs.
Next, on TikTok, Joe asked passersby in the United Kingdom how much they think it costs to have a baby in the United States.
A young man estimates “$50,000,” thinking his estimate is “ridiculous,” while another woman estimates between $100 and $200.
When they are told that the average is actually ‘around $10,000, (and) can go up to $30,000,’ they are both surprised.
Total U.S. health care spending, which includes what the government as well as insurance companies and individuals pay, surpassed $4.3 trillion in 2021, nearly a fifth of the country’s annual GDP. and the highest among comparable countries.
The woman asks: ‘What? $10,000 for a baby… is it the same everywhere? That’s crazy… no thanks.
In the UK, the NHS covers pregnancy and childbirth, including scans, prenatal care, the birth itself and postnatal care.
This compares to the U.S., where, according to the Peterson-Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) health system tracker, giving birth costs $18,865 on average, including prenatal care, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
If a person has insurance, it often covers most of these expenses, but people without insurance are responsible for the entire bill.
The type of birth can also greatly affect costs, and the insurance company ValuePenguin reveals that the average cost of a vaginal birth is $13,024, including costs such as facility fees and doctor fees.
Meanwhile, a C-section is more expensive, costing an average of $22,646 total.
Despite its high cost, the United States still has the highest maternal mortality rates: 24 new mothers die for every 100,000 babies born, almost two and a half times the average of other rich countries.
Below, Joe addresses one of the more unusual charges new moms incur.
In the US, some hospitals charge for skin-to-skin contact between a mother and newborn immediately after a C-section because of the extra work required to keep the patient safe.
In 2016, a father went viral after posting a photo of his Utah Valley Hospital bill on Reddit, showing he was charged $39.35 for his wife to hold their baby after a C-section.
A British woman was surprised to learn that the average cost of a birth in the United States is about $10,000.
Another British woman was surprised that Americans had to pay to hold their babies immediately after giving birth by cesarean section.
On TikTok, a British woman is horrified to learn of this charge and says: ‘Do you have to pay to do that? To hold my own child that I have been carrying inside my womb?
Regarding prescription drug prices, a hot topic in the US, the interviewer asks a man on the street to guess the price of two life-saving EpiPens.
Spring-loaded syringes, which deliver a shot of adrenaline to prevent people from going into anaphylactic shock due to an allergic reaction, cost just under $13 in the UK on an NHS prescription.
That means two pens would cost about $25.
However, the man interviewed on Tiktok is left speechless when he discovers that two EpiPens in the United States cost $600.
At the end, one woman proclaimed, “So if you’re poor (in America), you’re dead.”