Thank you, Asia "Health Care" (93 days left)

 Feb. 27, 2021

Thank you, Health Care. 

In 2008 or 2009 we hosted an exchange student from Korea for one semester while we lived in Green Bay.  One day she was sick and needed a doctor and a prescription filled.  I remember her shock at the bills! I remember laughing at her sheer incredulity.  Not until living in Korea would I understand the vast differences between the American health care system and the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Korea.

Eye exam for 10,000 Won? (That's about $10.)  Impossible.  But I remember once taking Adam to an eye exam and, for some strange reason, walking out without paying.  The receptionist dashed after us.  When she finally caught up and explained what had happened, I returned to the front desk only to discover the bill for the exam was 10,000 Won - hardly worth chasing me down!

One spring in Korea Adam broke his arm.  At the hospital we saw the specialist, had a cast put on, and (if I recall) prepaid for a few follow up appointments, all for $300 USD.  Unbelievable.

With NHI coverage, prescription medication barely cost a thing.  The hospitals were clean, efficient, and professional.  We were always well cared for.  It didn't take long to be very thankful for our access to healthcare in Korea.

There was even a time when I had something quite strange happening in my leg - a numbness.  I was quite worried about it and so - with the help of friends - managed to find a remote clinic in the evening near closing time.  The doctor and assistant were alone and about to close up for the night but took me in, listened to my concerns (with a bit of help from charades), asked me to do this and do that and declared I had a pinched nerve that would likely work its way out in a day or two.  When I inquired how to pay, the doctor said - no need.

I can't even begin to tell you how much we have used the health care system in Korea.  A lot!  And we were always well cared for.  In fact, before leaving Korea for good, Adam and I visited the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital to say "good bye" because it was such a big part of our lives by then.  We had gotten to know the hospital-provided translator quite well as she had accompanied us to appointments about three times per week in our final months there. 

my actual "goodbye picture" of SNUH

In Hong Kong the health care system is a bit different.  There are really two systems here, the private and the public.  Expats tend to use the private system which is more efficient and perceived to be higher quality (although I don't know about that).  For the most part we have used the private system, which means we have paid quite a lot of money out of pocket for health care and mental health care before arriving at our paid deductible.  Having said that, there were two occasions when we needed to use emergency services and used the public system. Each time we were amazed when all we needed to pay was 100 HKD, essentially $12 USD.  

A friend of mine had her first child using the public system in Hong Kong and paid with her Octopus Card - generally used to buy groceries or pay for public transportation.  It cost 5000 HKD to pay out of pocket for the entire cost of the birth, about $650 USD. 

And so, as we soon return to the US and the US health care system,  I am truly grateful to all of the healthcare workers we have met along our journey.  And I am grateful for the healthcare systems we have had access to in Asia.