Man Claims He Was Only Asked To Pay $31 For A Hospital Bill While In A Different Country — 'A Band-Aid Costs More At A US Hospital'
He was worried about the bill being high since he didn't have health insurance but was shocked at how affordable it was to seek care.
@christian.grossi / TikTok After a man revealed the amount of money he paid for a hospital visit while abroad, many people were quick to agree that the United States healthcare system needs a complete makeover.
In a TikTok video, Christian Grossi explained that he had been vacationing in a different country when he suddenly fell ill, and after making a trip to the hospital, he was shocked at the bill given to him when he was released.
He was only asked to pay $31 for the hospital bill after being admitted to the emergency room.
"I spent the last 24 hours in a Moroccan hospital," Grossi began in his video, showing himself lying in a bed after being admitted to the ER when he suddenly felt sick while on vacation in Morocco. He explained that he had suddenly begun feeling dizzy one day during his trip and decided to leave his AirBnB to head to a local store.
However, while on his way there he started feeling even more ill and suddenly passed out on the sidewalk. When he eventually woke up, he was surrounded by people who eventually rushed him to a Moroccan hospital.
"I was instantly admitted to the ER and I was hooked up to two separate IVs with antibiotics and anti-nausea medication," he continued. "At that point, I passed out again. I woke up the next morning to the nurse in front of me saying, 'If you feel okay now, you can go home.'"
At that point, Grossi recalled feeling a lot better than he had the night before and was told he had gotten food poisoning. He told the nurse that he would be fine leaving, though was nervous about the bill because he didn't have health insurance. After putting him in a wheelchair, Grossi was being escorted out of the hospital when one of the hospital staff handed him the bill.
For spending a night in the emergency room and being administered four different kinds of medication, his total was only $31, which shocked Grossi considering how costly the same care would have been in the United States.
Compared to other countries, the United States healthcare system feels flawed.
The United States healthcare system has long been a subject of debate and scrutiny due to the challenges it presents when compared to the healthcare systems in other developed countries. While it has some strengths, including the advancement of medicine and care, it also has many flaws.
According to the Health System Tracker, health spending per person in the U.S. was $12,914 in 2021, which was over $5,000 more than any other high-income nation. The average amount spent on health per person in comparable countries ($6,125) is less than half of what the U.S. spends per person.
In a January 2023 report released by an independent research group called The Commonwealth Fund, per CNN, senior researcher Munira Gunja explained that the United States has the "highest rates of deaths" from conditions and illnesses that can be easily treated. "Americans are living shorter, less healthy lives because our health system is not working as well as it could be,” Gunja said in the report.
Not only is it extremely expensive to seek care in America, but the healthcare system is marred by many disparities, including race, income, and location. People in marginalized communities, including many Black women, face lower-quality care evident by the staggering Black maternal mortality rate and the lack of mental health resources for Black people.
Grossi's experience seeking medical attention abroad and the shock at how affordable healthcare is serves as a poignant reminder that the United States often prioritizes the business side of medicine over the importance of providing care to people who seek it out.
While reforming a complex system can be a daunting task, it's a challenge worth pursuing, because every person's health and well-being matter, no matter their circumstances.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.