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.
Alright. Way too many socialists in this post who don’t know how 'Murica works, god dammit. Here’s real advice:
You woke up, so you aren’t dead yet. In most cases, that’s a good sign. Give it 30 minutes. If you feel better, great! This is where I preposterously tell you to follow up with your family doctor and we both have a good chuckle.
(Edit to explain: we have no idea who our family doctor is and we haven’t been there in so long we would be considered a new patient.)
If you don’t feel better, might well give it another hour. Most of the damage from a heart attack or stroke is done in the first 30 minutes, so you’re probably not going to get any worse.
If you’re still not dead after that, you’re probably clear to make it through the weekend.
Next question is do you have sick leave? If not, congratulations, you’re fine! If you do have sick leave, go ahead and make an appointment first thing Monday. They won’t do anything, just send you for labs, maybe or just leave that part to the specialist they will refer you to.
So now it’s 6 weeks later and the specialist is calling to confirm the appointment you’re forgotten about. Do you feel better or are you out of sick leave? Congratulations, you’re fine.
Next, is your deductible over 10% of your annual income? (5% if it’s after Nov.15. You’re gonna wind up paying that whole thing for diagnostic tests this year and the actual treatment will hit you after Jan 1 and you’re double fucked.) If it is, congratulations, you’re fine!
If you reach this point, you probably are in need of medical attention and can afford it. Congratulations on getting the help you need.
Bask in the superiority of the best healthcare in the world, you European nancies!
Obviously the tone is meant to be humorous, but this is basically the reality. The only thing I’ve omitted is that you can just go to the hospital and get the treatment you need and then avoid answering unknown numbers for 7 years. I have yet to see anyone sued over medical debt.
Its actually funny (in a fucked up way, that is), because for appointments, you have to pre-pay, so if you are already bankrupt, you might as well just go to the ER where you do not have to pre-pay.
Pre-pay for PCP and Specialist visits? What is this plan you are on?!
Poor people insurance like the majority of the US.
If you’re in my area they sue you without telling you and it goes straight to garnish out of your paycheck. I had to spend a better part of a decade committing fraud just to keep enough money to pay for rent and food.