Doctor Visits

The Health System in America is probably the main issue that Aussies have big problems with. There are not just Aussie/American differences - there are wide-gaping caverns between the two systems. Again, the policies of the American Health System will not be dealt with here. The following points will simply give you a general idea of what to expect.

• There is no National Health Care System in America as there is in Australia (Medicare).
• Health insurance is an employment benefit, and is subsidized by employers. How much you pay for Health Benefits varies greatly between employers, and between Health Insurance companies. The details of Health Insurance packages are also worked out between your employer and the HI companies - employers usually try to get the best packages for the best prices. If there is more than one person employed in your family, then you will have a choice of which is the best deal for you. Health Insurance benefits also allow for dependents.
• Private health insurance is nearly impossible to find, and those that do exist are very expensive.
• Quite often, employers also offer Dental Insurance and sometimes Optical Insurance. Again, how much the employer contributes to each of these is different from one company to the next.
• How much an employer will subsidize any Health Insurance varies greatly. Some will pay as low as 40%, and others as much as 100% (although this is rare). Generally it's around 50 - 60%.
• You can not choose any doctor. A doctor will not see you if they don't use your Health Insurance company. Your Health Insurance company will give you a list of "approved" doctors, so it's usually easiest to choose one from the list.
• If you have made some American friends or have some American family, the best way to find a good doctor is by asking around. People are more than happy to guide you in the right direction.
• It is not always possible to see a doctor at short notice. Depending on the doctor, you could have to wait anywhere from 1 - 3 weeks. For yearly tests, it might be as long as 3 months wait. If you are very sick and need to see a doctor immediately, some doctor's offices will recommend you go to the Emergency Room of your hospital.
• Although there are General Practitioners in America, you will probably only see them for minor complaints. Usually they will send you to see a specialist for anything else. For women, it's common practice to have a OB-GYN for all female issues, instead of using the family doctor.
• Usually you will "see" very little of the actual doctor. Usually a nurse will take you into the office, take your blood-pressure, temperature, weight, tests etc., and then deposit you into an office to wait for the doctor.
• Forms, forms, and more forms. It seems that every time you visit a doctor - even if you've been there before - you will have to fill in a heap of forms. As with most things that are "wrong" with the American Health System, this is to protect the doctors from a litigation-prone society.
• Once you can get used to all the Health Care hurdles, it is nice to know that the medical treatment you get in America is as excellent as it is in Australia. And for the most part, American health care workers are very personable.
• Happily, American Dentist and Optometrist visits are not much different than in Australia.
• The whole "Visiting the Doctor" experience can be a very stressful change for Australians, who are used to seeing the same doctor for most of their lives, and have Medicare to take care of the costs. However, letting it get you down is very unproductive and serves no purpose. It's best to just take a deep breath, go with the flow, and above all - stay healthy!

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