Quote from: sarah1972 on December 01, 2016, 07:04:47 AM
This is great discussion. I love to learn about different countries and cultures and how things work there!
For health insurance in the US: It is a truly mixed bag here. A lot of people still do not have health insurance. And I know many are struggling with paying for doctors and medications. In addition when I tried to find a therapist, I discovered that only a very small amount of them accepts insurance since they do not want to deal with the paperwork to invoice insurances. Also insurances usually pay less that patients would have to pay. (For example: Usual session at my therapist is $150, my insurance has a negotiated rate with her of $71, I pay $15. So she ends up with $86 which is a lot less than her usual rate - crazy system). You usually also have to fight with your insurance to pay anything. Most insurances here exclude transgender care, so many of us in the US have to pay cash for everything.
I am not sure the 28 times is a good way to compare. Using numbers from the World Bank, your 350 Rupies Therapy session would compare to $ 50 in the US (I have been comparing the purchasing power parity numbers). Still means Therapy sessions are about 3 x the cost you pay.
How about health insurance in India?
Health insurance in India is a joke. It doesn't even cover most of the common ailments.
Majority of India's population is in the rural area. Most people in the urban areas are unable to make ends meet.
Indian health care system is very different. The government provides only the primary, secondary care. Majority of the population, is dependent on Government Hospitals, where they get free or subsidised care. But the condition of these hospitals is very poor.
I am a medicine student. I'll be posted as an intern for the next year at one such hospital.
Patients who can afford private care, depend on private hospitals in the cities. Although, only a few percent can afford private care, even this few percent makes a very, very large number of people. Thanks to our ever increasing population.
Unlike the US, India still faces basic challenges like safe drinking water, proper sanitation, housing, etc.
We are in 2016, and yet, our most common diseases are diarrhoea, tuberculosis and malaria. People here don't really have the time, nor the patience for people like me with a so called "EXOTIC" disease. Yes, gender dysphoria, homosexuality is considered a disease here.
India spends only 4% of its GDP on healthcare. Compare that with 17% in the US.
Our average life expectancy is 10-15 yrs less than the US.
These are really shameful statistics.
Most of us have to pay out of our pockets for quality healthcare. Yes, we can get it for free at any government hospitals, but the quality of the care is so poor, I won't recommend it to anyone.
Also, I would love to write about the dreaded section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
Section 377 states that any kind of sexual act that doesn't involve peno- vaginal intercourse is deemed unnatural and punishable by law.
The section 377 IPC is so vaguely written that, it not only has created a problem for the lgbt community, but also for the rest of the people. No oral sex in India LOL. Sex toys are also illegal here.
So, what I wanted to say was, that India is probably running 20-30 years behind the US.
We have a lot of catching up to do.
This becomes more of a challenge for me. Because, being a doctor, I have to improve the health care system, and help the community, while being ostracized by the community itself for being a transgender.
I see some very hard days in my future.
Love,
Saira.
