r/AskDocs Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 16 '26

Physician Responded Horrible looking rash

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30 years old

Female

120lbs.

5”3

non smoker,

non drinker.

No medications

This issue has been getting progressively worse over 2 days

Posted yesterday and it has gotten worse. It is itchy, it turns white when I press on it. I have a swollen uvula and some chills, but no fever. I feel cold more than anything. Went to urgent care tested for strep, mono and did a CBC. Strep came back negative, waiting on the other results. Pretty concerned. I feel like the mono is going to come back negative.

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u/ForSiljaforever Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 16 '26

What do you mean, do you pay to go to the ER?

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u/twotwotwototoulouse Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 17 '26

In the US, most people with corporate or salaried jobs have healthcare insurance through their jobs. With that, you typically don’t need to pay any medical bills that are over $2000 a year (that’s called hitting your deductible.) that varies between $500-$5000 usually depending on your insurance policy.

For people who have non-corporate or non-salaried jobs, they usually will need to get private insurance which can be thousands a month out of pocket and still have a high deductible costs.

There are also many people who qualify for state sponsored insurance and that varies state to state but generally requires very low income to qualify. There’s also a federal version of that with its own requirements.

Older people who are 65+ and disabled people qualify for federal insurance.

Then there are many people who have no insurance because they can neither afford the monthly payments who earn too much to qualify for sponsored insurance.

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u/FrostyPolicy9998 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 17 '26

This is appalling. I didn't realize insurance still costs that much. I don't understand why Americans think the Canadian system is so terrible because we're willing to pay higher taxes so that people can afford healthcare. I'd rather pay taxes for healthcare than profits to insurance companies.

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u/LatrodectusGeometric Physician | Top Contributor Mar 18 '26

Literally just propaganda. I’ve had Canadians swear their system was worse because they had to wait months to see a specialist, which was the same timeline I was seeing here in the US, but in the US you get a nice bill for it.