1 + 1 Promo to Doctor: A common thing in the United States

After living and working in the United States for three years, I recently became ill for the first time. Not feeling well enough to go to the doctor and practice with local health care. Although America is known as a country of opportunity – one of the reasons I want to live here is that it is no secret that the American dream has a dark side, and many Americans have shunned good health care.

After all, the United States has no social security or hospital as it does in Belgium. The right to your good health here depends on your employer. While Belgians often negotiate a company car, health insurance is a major topic here during job applications. Before accepting a job offer, it is a good idea to check if the insurance covers your annual dental checkup. Even if you donate a portion of your salary each month to health insurance, your employer will cover a large portion. My husband and I are well insured by our work, so we certainly can’t complain compared to the average American.

So, planning a doctor’s visit does not mean that it is as easy as in Belgium. First, you have no choice but to approach whom. For example, I wanted to find a doctor, but he was not part of the ‘my network’ list of doctors who work with my insurance. You often pay out of your own pocket for all the advice outside of that network, which can quickly add hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

So as a patient you need to be in your care. Do not blindly accept the treatment prescribed by a doctor, but first check what the insurance is, how much it costs you, and above all, whether you need the procedure or medication. For example, we recently received a visit from a friend who ended up in the emergency room due to dental problems. When he learned that he needed a specific procedure, less than three dentists did not come to court, including his hospital bed, sales pitch and advertising brochure.

Here’s how health care is commercialized and how you can book appointments. A popular website in New York is ZocDoc.com, which is Booking.com for doctors to talk to. They are rated 0 to 5 stars based on patient reviews. It may take a while to find someone who is on your network and has strong enough reviews. As icing on the cake, Google now knows that I use ZocDoc and get targeted advertising on my social media. “Book your annual babe smear and get a free fertility test.” It’s amazing to see a 1 + 1 free promo on your health instead of a local supermarket.

As a result, I’m a bit skeptical of doctors. If I had no other choice, I would skip my annual exams a little more. Or I wait until my regular visit to Belgium, even if I pay the full amount there. I now admire my trusted GP even more in Belgium and I feel that the grass in that area is definitely greener. After all, negotiating your own health is something I (and do not want to) get used to soon.

Laura Host He is the new Business Development Director at IC, a Belgian-level behavioral research firm based in New York.