I am in the US, so financial calculations need to be factored in.
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, felt like I was going to die, then vomitted.
Now heart beating slightly off, not feeling great but not terrible, had mild chest pain earlier in evening…
Kinda feel off. Have medical insurance with large deductible.
Ignore it? Taxi to ER? Call 911? Genuinely don’t know and don’t like 911 since police are involved.
Also I feel hot, feel burning around my neck.
I am a disabled American in my 50s, I have dealt with serious medical issues my entire life, including the ones that have made me unable to work for the last ~15 years. I understand the healthcare ‘system’, such as it is, far too well. But you know what sucks worse than being broke? Being dead.
We’re not talking about being dead vs being broke. We’re talking about being MAYBE dead vs being homeless, hungry, and unable to clothe your children.
Health insurance exists for medical emergencies; vomiting and chest pains are signs of a heart attack which, I dunno where you’re from, but where I’m from that sounds like a medical emergency to me.
I get that the US healthcare system is bad and exploitative and absolutely leaves people in crippling, life-altering debt. But one fucking trip to urgent care is not going to render you homeless unless something is very seriously wrong with you in which case see also: being dead also sucks pretty hard.
Personally, I’ve seen a lot of doctors and received very little help for my considerable trouble, and more than a little harm. I was fortunate that I rarely have to pay for medical service (but have to forgo it when I do) but if I had been paying all this time, it would be very easy for me to choose feeding my hypothetical children for the current week over another probably useless visit.