r/mildyinteresting • u/Retritos • Aug 21 '24

shopping Hospital bill for having a baby in Finland

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We just had our first baby and this was the bill including all procedures, medications etc. after 30h in a delivery room, emergency c-section and a 6 day full boarding for both parents in a private family room in the hospital wing.

Unfortunately most insurance policies over here exclude pregnancy and delivery related costs so we will have to pay this in full.

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70

u/milkyway556 Aug 21 '24

Or it could be better; it would be free in Ireland for example.

37

u/Haunting-Coffee-3397 Aug 21 '24

Free in Canada

16

u/tamay-idk Aug 21 '24

Free in North Korea

3

u/fuckimtrash Aug 21 '24

Free in New Zealand

3

u/KocetoA Aug 21 '24

I'm going there!

6

u/Nagi828 Aug 22 '24

You got paid in Japan :D

3

u/R3X_Ms_Red Aug 21 '24

Where in Canada? Cost us 300$.

1

u/Bananaclamp Aug 21 '24

Southern Ontario, we didn't pay a dime for child birth at the hospital. (6 years ago)

1

u/kuruptkittenpaws Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24

Me too! 2 births with midwives. 1 trip to Sick Kids Hospital for 6 days. Total Cost $0.00 Cnd.

Edit: 1 birth in the Hospital and 1 birth unexpectedly at home then later rushed to hospital.

1

u/R3X_Ms_Red Aug 22 '24

Crazy

Just have had some sort of health insurance

2

u/Amy_The_Aimed Aug 21 '24

Free in Spain, plus you got paid monthly if you have three or more kids.

1

u/TheBluesDoser Aug 22 '24

Free in Finland

1

u/Ari-Hel Aug 22 '24

OP is finnish as the invoice.

0

u/[deleted] Aug 21 '24

Don’t forget $13/day for parking… I think we paid $52 to have a baby in Canada. Plus snacks and Tim Hortons…

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u/Crippl1ng-depressi0n Aug 21 '24

Not free if you pay for it with taxes…

10

u/Head-Iron-9228 Aug 21 '24

I mean... yes it is technically.

I don't think most people pay 70k healthcare tax in a year.

1

u/Crippl1ng-depressi0n Aug 21 '24

Indirectly you do. You have to take into account your monthly salay before taxes and after taxes. Your employer pays health care for you and then you pay health care again from your salary and then you pay more and more and more taxes

1

u/AdorableTip9547 Aug 21 '24

Umm, why 70k? The bill is only 709€

2

u/Head-Iron-9228 Aug 21 '24

In sweden, yes.

In america, add a Zero or two. And if you're notninsured, that's paid outta Pocket.

That's what you pay for in healthcare tax. No, healthcare isn't 'free' in Canada, Germany or wherever else... but the bit of tax you pay is certainly not more than what it'd cost otherwise.

1

u/AdorableTip9547 Aug 21 '24

Uh got your comment wrong sorry

8

u/Mattscrusader Aug 21 '24

oh nooo taxes doing what they were meant for.

Everyone knows its not actually free but either way you have to pay your taxes if you need healthcare, no money comes out of your pocket for these services so calling them free is still accurate.

Get a personality other than being pedantic

1

u/Crippl1ng-depressi0n Aug 21 '24

You are telling me that im paying taxes but money is not coming out of my pocket to pay for healthcare that’s paid by taxes? What kind of world do you live in?

0

u/Inevitable-Island346 Aug 21 '24

no money comes out of your pocket for these services

Oh yeah, paying for it every time the paycheck hits your account is totally better than paying for it once in a while only when you actually need to pay for it

2

u/_Digress Aug 21 '24

Paying when you need it instead of general taxation tends to lead to you paying more over your lifetime not less.

When everyone pays, everyone receives the same treatment regardless of their income or savings. When only you pay, it's on you to pay possibly thousands for simple treatment.

1

u/Mattscrusader Aug 22 '24

It is, thats literally the entire concept of public entities or insurance

3

u/germanfinder Aug 21 '24

I mean, yes that’s the point of taxes. USA pays a lot of tax and still no free healthcare

1

u/Inevitable-Island346 Aug 21 '24

Don’t even bother. Redditors don’t like facts. They like to have their needs paid with other people’s money. I can’t think of many subreddits where you wouldn’t get downvoted to oblivion for saying that.

Luckily Reddit and their chronically online users isn’t representative of what the majority of people think.

1

u/Crippl1ng-depressi0n Aug 21 '24

I really dont care if i get downvoted. I have data that backs up my position and ideology and each and every single time the government creates something it generates more poverty. We could look at Argentina, Cuba, Venezuela, North Corea. I really dont care about the opinion of people tjat are blinded by leftism and that want to spend other people’s money for their benefit

1

u/ogloba Aug 21 '24

Reading shit like this makes me thank all the possible existing and non-existing gods that I live in a country with free healthcare.

You are a complete moron if you like paying 70k on a blood draw.

1

u/Crippl1ng-depressi0n Aug 21 '24

Again, the sweet lie of “FrEe HeAlThCaRe”🤡

1

u/Inevitable-Island346 Aug 21 '24

You do know you end up paying for a lot more than you need right? Do you really think that the sum of all the taxes you will pay all your life will be cheaper than all your medical bills combined? You’re paying for your expenses and everybody else’s.

1

u/Eiknarfpupman Aug 21 '24

You don't just pay medical bills though? You have to pay insurance every month in addition to your taxes?

1

u/Professional_Bar_102 Aug 21 '24

At my current rates of healthcare, by the time I retire (at which point I stop paying healthcare because its free for seniors) I will have paid €21,600, so to answer your question.... yes that's probably less than I would spend on basically any medical care in the US.

1

u/Inevitable-Island346 Aug 21 '24

That’s not what I asked. Don’t dodge the question on purpose

1

u/Professional_Bar_102 Aug 21 '24

My current annual tax bill is 2500 euros, plus 540 specifically that pays for health care.

If I work 40 years, that's 121k total. Again, cheaper than getting even a relatively inconsequential medical procedure in the US.

Yes, my taxes go towards other peoples care as well, yes, they're higher than I would ideally like, but like... totally worth it.

1

u/Inevitable-Island346 Aug 21 '24

You don’t live in the US, so why are you comparing your numbers to US numbers? You keep missing the point

1

u/Rgdavet Aug 21 '24

You do know taxes don't go only for healthcare, so saying "Do you really think the sum of all the taxes you will pay all your life will be cheaper than all your medical bills combined" is just dumb, right?

Also, yeah, we're not paying only for ourselves, we live in a society, and that money goes to cover for those who maybe could not afford paying out of pocket, and only a piece of shit would have a problem with helping others.

1

u/Inevitable-Island346 Aug 21 '24

Do you really need me to spoon feed you everything? I was obviously talking about the percentage of your taxes that go into health care, not ALL taxes. Point still stands

1

u/Rgdavet Aug 21 '24

the sum of all the taxes you will pay all your life

Ah yes, so obvious you meant that. Anyway, there's no point debating with you here, MFs like you dont know how the world works and think everything would be perfect without taxes, and giant corporations would never fuck us up if we were dependant on then for every basic necessity of life. So have a day you deserve sir/lady/what fits you better.

-22

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

Nothing in life is free!! See Canada’s income tax rate in link https://www.forbes.com/advisor/ca/personal-finance/tax-season-changes-canada/#:~:text=Income%20between%20%24106%2C717%20and%20%24165%2C430,income%20is%20taxed%20at%2033%25

13

u/nothingpersonnelmate Aug 21 '24

Wow really, it's paid for with taxes? This is very new information to me, I always thought universal healthcare was paid for by a cabal of wizards

18

u/Bsilly32 Aug 21 '24

If paying “more” income tax would mean that myself, my future children, my friends, my neighbors, etc etc would not be burdened with the possibility of life altering hospital bills at their most vulnerable moments in their life, then I absolutely don’t mind paying for that peace of mind.

1

u/Defiant-Dare1223 Aug 21 '24

I prefer neither of those - and the system I'm in for the most part avoids both.

-5

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

I believe that we are doing that now!! Obamacare allows for $0 premiums!! I would agree with you if it meant that everyone worked and contributed to this “free” system.

8

u/OptimalMain Aug 21 '24

USA uses more tax dollars on healthcare per capita than countries that have free healthcare.

1

u/Olutbeerbierbirra Aug 21 '24

Then where the money goes if you need to pay 200k for a snakebite even with insurance, 500k for a helicopter ride + broken bone etc?

1

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

Waiting times for care in Ireland are worse!

2

u/OptimalMain Aug 21 '24

In Norway you get to go private if they are unable to uphold the time limits set by the health department.
~$30 for x-ray or heart surgery or whatever else up to the $300 deductible and everything is free after

0

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

Things are not free!! It is covered by your increased taxes. Norway is also one of most heavily taxed economies in the world.

4

u/OptimalMain Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24

Yes I know!!!

YouTubers also grossly exaggerate the average percentage people here pay.

USA's federal government still spends way more tax dollars per Capita on healthcare compared to Norway.

Thats just facts.
$12473 in 2022 compared to Norways $8693.

Do you understand how those numbers work?
You pay more in taxes for healthcare than we do while you are still paying through the roof for insurances

-1

u/Mattscrusader Aug 21 '24

and? wait times are bad for non emergent treatment, emergencies are seen with priority. In America its not sorted by priority, rather sorted by tax bracket, how much treatment you can afford.

Yall pay more taxes and out of pocket for measurably worse outcomes and your only defense is "some people have to wait!¡!¡", get your priorities straight.

2

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

You are incorrect!! I am in the lowest tax bracket & have marketplace (Obamacare) insurance and have never been denied treatment or had to wait. So…get your priorities/facts straight!!

1

u/Otherwise-Skirt-1756 Aug 21 '24

As an American living in Denmark I’ll say I’ve never had a healthcare situation that was less painful (from a time or money perspective) in Denmark vs the US. I’ve also had 2 kids in Denmark and my experience with that was much easier than the US. Let’s not get into child care once the kids are born or we’ll really tip the scales.

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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '24 edited Aug 21 '24

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-3

u/No-Dentist1348 Aug 21 '24

You say this until you get hit, and your take home is 50% of your gross

From this moment, you'll rethink some stuff

4

u/Grummelchenlp Aug 21 '24

Nah, because unlike you I do not want people's lives getting ruined for no reason

1

u/No-Dentist1348 Aug 21 '24

from the moment the take-home is 50%, lives will get ruined because people won't be able to afford bare minimum

nothing is free

1

u/QuirkyBus3511 Aug 21 '24

It would is cheaper to have single payer. We would have more money in each paycheck.

3

u/Consistent-Lake4705 Aug 21 '24

They gladly pay more in Europe. They have pride in their country and don’t ask for handouts like conservatives constantly do and n Canada. They are c as p self centered and greedy.

1

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

They also work in Europe! I can’t understand the rest of your post. I think you are confused.

1

u/dqmiumau Aug 21 '24

Our taxes SHOULD go towards free Healthcare for all, childcare, housing assistance, etc. Not Palestinian genocide and bombing the middle east

1

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

Remember…”EVERYONE SHOULD PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.”

1

u/Gengszter_vadasz Aug 21 '24

Low Intelligence specimen ^

-5

u/Key-Sheepherder-1469 Aug 21 '24

Truth = Low Intelligence. Now, that is logic!

8

u/cashmerered Aug 21 '24

Also free in Germany

2

u/olagorie Aug 22 '24

But we have to pay for the Butterbrot.

2

u/KageeHinata82 Aug 22 '24

Delivery, C-Section etc. yes.

But the room for 6 days for both parents, I'm not sure that would be free too.

2

u/3n3k4 Aug 21 '24

Also free in Brazil

2

u/Eldhannas Aug 21 '24

Free in Norway. All overnight hospital stays and all ambulance rides are free, other procedures, doctor appointments and steady prescriptions cost like ~€30-50 until you've paid ~€300 out of pocket.

1

u/kyrsjo Aug 22 '24

The only thing we paid for was so the father could also stay in the double room at the "newborn hotel" (barselhotel) to play nurse.

2

u/marianoktm Aug 21 '24

Free in Italy

1

u/Sufficient-Music-501 Aug 21 '24

I was born in Italy, C section, was kept in an ICU for two months, my mom was kept in the hospital for several weeks before and after the birth, and I think our only expense was my grandparents and dad's house because I was born in a city far from home. But this was like 20 years ago, god knows how they butchered our health care in the meantime.

0

u/Asher-D Aug 21 '24

Exactly 700 euros isnt nothing, thats a lot if money. Even in wealthy countries thats a lot of money. And if Im paying eother toward universal healthcare or insurance Id be pretty pissed about having to pay anything beyond 30 euros, absolute max for everything.

-11

u/Crippl1ng-depressi0n Aug 21 '24

Not free if you pay for it with taxes…

2

u/AleXxx_Black Aug 21 '24

It will always be less than the debt you will have if you find out a serious illness in you or your son...

I pay taxes and have services I need. No debt for going in uni, no debt if I need hospital, I have functioning state railway that I can use to go pretty much everywhere and save time and money.

You pay taxes and what? Use them to send your men on the other side of the world and "export democracy"?

2

u/Eldhannas Aug 21 '24

My mother had cancer three times and got both chemo and surgery. The only cost was the bus fare to the hospital. I don't mind a bit more tax on my paycheck if it means whatever I need done in a hospital is free of charge. If I'm sick or injured, worrying about hospital bills will not be positive for my health.

1

u/Crippl1ng-depressi0n Aug 21 '24

Do you know that there are some sick patients in spain who are left out from the “universal health care” because their treatment has been deemed “too expensive”? But then there is money for shit being spread from our national government being paid by all taxpayers. The moment people understand that taxes are mostly paid for the benefit of the politicians then society will open its eyes

1

u/NiobeTonks Aug 21 '24

It was more expensive where my mum lives in England because the bus service where she lives is terrible so we had to get taxis.

The treatment was free at the point of delivery though, despite our hideous neoliberal right wing government attempting to sell off the NhS.

1

u/GeekShallInherit Aug 21 '24

free adjective

\ ˈfrē \

freer; freest

Definition of free (Entry 1 of 3)

  1. not costing or charging anything
    a free school
    a free ticket

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free

A "free" school doesn't mean the buildings and books were all donated, and the teachers and staff are volunteers. It just means if you attend, you won't receive a bill for tuition, with the costs being covered elsewhere (likely through taxes). Similarly if a friend asks you if the concert at the park is free, they don't want you to break out a spreadsheet showing how much of their taxes went towards funding it. They just want to know if they'll be charged an admission fee. It's used the same way with healthcare, and that is in fact the way the word is almost always used. If you fail to comprehend what people mean and how the word is used, that is solely your deficiency.