While USA has decent healthcare for surgery, etc... it is more focused on treatment rather than prevention. USA doctors are pawns of the pharmaceutical industry (they are basically taught that their is a pill for everything when we shouldn't even be taking these pills due to side effects). Sure there are doctors in the USA that try to explain to the patient that diet, exercise, etc.. are very important in preventing diseases/possibly curing them (at least to the point where no prescription drugs are needed). However, most are willing to fill out a prescription for the patient and send them on their merry way without addressing the real problem (keep them coming back for more prescription when their main focus should be keeping the patient healthy and away). That is one of my main issues with the way we address health in the USA.  While the main issue for his digestive issues were probably his diet, it has now come to the point of surgery to correct the problem.  The problem could have been addressed earlier with less cost.

Also, the cost (especially if you are uninsured) are ridiculous in the USA. They overcharge for almost anything if you go to the hospital.

I typed about a paragraph out in my last post trying to explain my position on US healthcare system.  I believe they are too focused on treating symptoms and not the actual problem.  Most people can avoid prescription medication if they simple improve their lifestyle, yet USA citizens would rather pop a pill that probably has worse side effects than what it is supposed to treat.   They have been focused on treatment rather than prevention which is a terrible mistake.

It is normal procedure to treat symptoms as they come because right off the bat there isn't true sure fire ways to find out what is wrong with you unless they throw you through a crap load of testing that will in the end cost you a shit load of money regardless of your insurance. While you may have symptoms that mimic say something like prostate cancer it could end up being a multitide of symptoms ranging across various other problems. You can't just walk into the doctor's office, say your groin hurts and have them know right away that you have prostate problems.

About a month ago I began getting uncomfortable pains in my groin on both sides, pain in my testicles, pain in my penis, rectal pain and lower back pain, all symptoms of later stage prostate cancer. I went to the doctor who performed a check of my pelvic region and had me take blood tests and urine tests. Everything was fine but he sent me to a urologist. Urologist gave me a DRE and found that my prostate was enlarged but not hard so he diagnosed me with Prostatitis and sent me on my way with Antibiotics. It has been 20+ days on these stupid things but I have seen major improvement in my condition thus far.

Things aren't as bad as you think they are. One of the main reasons why symptoms are treated as they come is also because us as American won't accept leaving the doctor's office without some sort of prescription, and 9 out of 10 times those being antibiotics. Kid has a cold? Mother wants antiobiotics. Then people freak out and wonder why we have shit like MRSA, lol.

Anyways, if you think we have it bad just look up prostatitis and listen to the horror stories about it for people outside of the US. Most of these people freak out because it mimics late stage prostate cancer and they want to go the urologist, only to find that they need to wait almost a month or so before getting taken in for a checkup.

Here in the US? I had the pains, next morning called my doctor. That same day I left work early to make my afternoon appointment. Doc checked me out and wrote a referal for the urologist. Once I left the doctor's office I called the Urologist to schedule an appointment. Next morning I went to my urologist appointment.

We have it pretty damn good here. I think we are just spoiled.

The U.S. Healthcare system is bad >.>

Us Americans are Bad Ass!

USA! USA! USA!

Yea, I know it can be worse elsewhere but if you look at the USA population at a whole we are a very unhealthy nation.  I even fell victim to being too lazy (suffered a knee injury) and put on more weight than I ever should have.  I am in the process of fixing that (corrected my diet to eat more fruits and veggies and less meat, bread, etc.., cut alcohol, started exercising). 

Let me share you my story which happened about 2 years ago.  I apologize to any member that has heard this before since I've told it a few times on this site.

I developed pains in the side which after looking it up on the internet determined it was probably appendicitis even though for someone my age it is kind of rare.  After 4 days of suffering (mainly was bad during the night when trying to sleep) I decided to go to the emergency room.  My mom (a nurse) said it was probably indigestion and to give it another day (even after 4 days).  Anyways, I went to the emergency room and told them I have appendicitis.  They were like okay...  Did a few test (pressed against me to see where the pain was), urine test, and CAT (or MRI, I forget which one) to determine that I actually had it.  I wasn't insured at the time. 

So basically I had to pay for the MRI or CAT, anesthesiologist, pathologist, and surgery.  Add all those up and some discounts for making a full payment (plus the surgeon docked 1k off the 2k surgery bill) and the total comes to about 3-4k.

Now add in one night stay at the hospital, barely being checked up, being helped out of bed to piss (since I couldn't go in the plastic bottle), and pain killers.  That one night bill (was released the next morning) ended up being over 20k..  Now tell me how the hell is that 20k when I could have pretty much gone home after the surgery?  They obviously overcharged and then wrote it off to the government.  It is experience like this and a few of my friends that have made me disgusted by the health industry.  They are just crooks.

Somehow has to pay for those doctor's insanely high salaries.

Anyways I agree with you about the costs. In no way should a 1-night stay cost upwards of 15-20k.

It is true that this doesn't specifically target the US' health care in any way, but reason suggests that the man could not get his procedure as fast as he wanted due to either money or bad service from whoever he was seeking medical help from. This could not have happened if the US either had a cheaper, more accessible way for Americans to keep themselves healthy, or if the man was richer. Whichever is easier I suppose.

Edit: It could also have been prevented if the man was smarter :P

lolololol +1

The US has a good healthcare system as long as you can pay your insurance and the insurance company doesn't manage to write you off because of a cold you didn't declare on your policy. Jesus guys are you really that blind?