So Matt's still in Russia, but we've been video chatting on skype. Yesterday he told me he'd slipped on some ice on the way back to the hotel and sprained his arm. It was all purple, puffy and generally ugly looking.
Today when I talked to him, he showed me his shiny new cast. Yep. It's busted. One of the HR people from the Russian office took him to the doctor and translated for him. The doctor told his translator to get him some vodka to use as a painkiller... Yes, for real.
However, on the plus side, his medical care including office visit, x-rays, setting and casting the arm cost 263 bucks - all without insurance. For that same care here, with insurance, it would have been well over a thousand dollars of out of pocket expense with the total bill being more than double that.
So I'm looking at you, American health care system, WTF?
In other news, he'll be home in nine more days. I miss my guy.
6 comments:
Perhaps his coworkers there should wrap him in cotton wool and not let him move about until he's ready to leave!
Poor Matt.
ack! and you arent there to baby him. :(
~snuggles~
Thank goodness he got in to have it set!
My husband was laid off 18 months ago. Never been out of work before in his life and there are no jobs in our area. Now his COBRA benefits have expired, so we have no health insurance and we're 57. What are we suppose to do? I asked that question of my government officials, but while they deny the rest of us healthcare coverage, they are guaranteed free healthcare and medicines for themselves and their families for the rest of their lives, so they don't really give a crap.
Between Iraq, waterboarding, Guantanimo and healthcare...well, I never expected that I would feel shame about America.
@ Chris - I threatened to wrap him in bubblewrap, which he pointed out would be useless, since I'd just compulsively pop them all anyway.
@Jason - I'm sure I'll get lots of opportunities to baby him when he gets home. But I do wish he was here already.
@ Donna - I'm so sorry about the nightmare you and your hubby and so many other families are facing. The lack of concern is sickening.
I hear you! My spouse has been unable to work for a year, due to an eye injury. Disability has been denied twice, despite the fact the man can barely see to drive! But yet, a friend of mine is perfectly able to work, but is granted disability due to fact she has issues with basic common sense. She goes to movies, goes out to eat frequently, and works as a cashier 20 hours a week. Where's the justice in that?
So...the takeaway lesson here is that if you have to break your arm, be sure to travel halfway around the world first. Got it, thanks. ;-)
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