Healthcare Experience in Europe – Posted on 9/13/25
Story from Lora
1). We were in Italy in 2024 to attend our niece’s wedding. We had decided to stay for a few days at a lovely farmhouse in a small, rural town in Tuscany. The day we arrived, our son was feeling a bit ill. He was worse the next day and the host farmer brought him some herbal remedies. The following day, which was a Saturday, it was clear that our son needed medical attention. The farmer (host) told us that the clinic was only open from 12-4 that day due to it being a Saturday. He told us that he would drive us there, but then told us that first, he would contact the doctor. After making the call, he returned and told us that the doctor was willing to come to the farm prior to her shift at the clinic. Only catch? It would cost us 35euros (roughly $40). We happily accepted..not having to drive our ill son and wait in a clinic to be seen sounded ideal. As promised, the doctor showed up at the house, examined our son, prescribed antibiotics and then APOLOGIZED for having to charge us 35eurosas we were not Italian citizens. I asked her “you know where we are from, right”? “Ah, yes, she said. You are from the states. I’m sorry, I know healthcare there is very expensive”. Our son recovered after a few days of antibiotics (which also only cost us around $20)
2). 2025. We decided to hike the Tour Du Mont Blanc with our adult children. It’s a multi-day adventure. Part way through, at the tail end of a lovely hike day, I started feeling “off”. We were a mile from our hotel that night (a nice “rest day planned the following day) and the closer we got, the worse I started feeling. By the time we reached the hotel, I was violently vomiting and other unpleasantries. Unable to keep food or liquid down, and deteriorating quickly, the hotel called medics. I was seen by medics, an IV started. The team convinced me to accept going to a local hospital (40 minutes away). A second ambulance was called which transported me the 40 minutes to the hospital. I was seen by the doctor (who checked in with me 3 times), given fluids, anti-nausea meds and eventually, an abdominal ultrasound. Meanwhile, my husband tried to figure out how we went about paying. Upon registering me, he was simply asked if we had private insurance. He responded that we did. They did not want a copy of our medical card. They had our address, passport info, and that was all they needed. When I was released, my husband asked for a copy of the bill. For medics, a 40 minute ambulance ride, Dr. visits, fluids, an ultrasound, the bill was 347 euros (less than $400) for non citizens. This happened in July and we have not yet been charged and suspect we never will be…they are simply not set up to accept payments.
Contrast our experiences above to our son’s snowboard accident in Lake Tahoe. A 40 minute ambulance ride. Re-setting his dislocated hip. Pain meds. Then, he was escorted to his friend’s vehicle and sent home. The ski patrol and the hospital both missed his 6 broken ribs, despite him repeatedly telling him of the pain. We had to return to an urgent care clinic who sent us directly to an ER. For this wonderful experience, he was billed $23,000. He was fortunate as he had just changed jobs 3 months prior and now had very good insurance. But, it was not lost on us that if had still been in his previous job in Durango, with no insurance, he would have had $23,000 debt at 23 years old.
Let us know your stories about dealing with the healthcare system in America (and elsewhere) and why you support Universal Healthcare for Colorado (and the United States).