Exiting Summer

August 21, 2007 - 4:00 PM by Stephanie

As a person who spends summers back in my hometown of Cincinnati-Midwest-U.S.A., I nod my head knowingly when reading other people’s posts pointing out differences noted while on vacation between here – Mid-East mentality, crazy humid and hot, tones of Manhattan (my cabbie yelled at me yesterday for not having a smaller bill) – versus there: mall-centric, t.v.-centric, air-con blasting so strong you hafta take along a sweater, “what will we do for fun today”? orientation.

Raanana Ramblings is winding up a U.S. visit and has this to say about her experience with the American medical system:

…my littlest one got sick and had to go to the doctor. This involved the usual American procedure of making you wait in the waiting room AND in the examination room for what seems like forever until the doc deigns to stop by (in Israel, you wait outside the doctor’s office- when it’s your turn, you go right in to the inner sanctum where the doc is waiting).

Turns out the kid had an ear infection. This doctor knows that we live in Israel (he’s not Jewish, but told me that his wife and kids just got back from a trip to the holy land. Major coincidence!) and told me he’d give us a break on the price. I’m not sure how much an office visit is- we were last there a few years ago and it cost me $60. I’m sure it’s gone up since then, but the guy was nice and charged us $49.

But imagine my sticker shock when I picked up the prescription for antibiotics at Walgreen’s- $29!!!!! I couldn’t believe it. I know I’m used to paying just a few dollars for medicines back home, but I really wasn’t expecting to pay SO much here.

Welcome to America. Have a nice Day. THIS is the reason for efforts at reforming medical care cover over there.

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