Comment on The only one country
volvoxvsmarla@sopuli.xyz 3 hours ago
I once collapsed on the streets in Russia when I was an exchange student there. Started seeing a message bubble over and over in one eye, then collapsed, I couldn’t get “help” out. Idk what happened or how I got there but I woke up in the hospital. Someone must have called an ambulance and I had a CT scan of my head while I was out. They did blood work and whatnot. Got food, it was just oatmeal and bread, but I mean, it’s something.
I had traveller’s insurance and wackily tried to explain that this is common and a “I pay out of pocket they reimburse me” thing instead of Universal Basic Insurance so they decided nah not worth it just go home. I haven’t paid a single cent. I’m not even sure I’m in their records, although I did show my passport.
I was in the ER on another trip to Russia, they really can’t be bothered. Checked me for appendicitis and thankfully I was cleared for a flight home.
I mean they were hella rude and have that typical baseline of Russian angriness and annoyance but you know what, I got taken care of well.
Allero@lemmy.today 2 hours ago
I’d say Russian medics are less angry and more tired and overburdened a lot of the time. This does reflect on their attitudes, but that’s not out of bad intent.
But yes, what you said is true, and that’s how it should be. Honestly, I’d rather just have emergency medical service get free of all that insurance paperwork and just do their thing. It’s not that they’ll ever deny medical service anyway.
volvoxvsmarla@sopuli.xyz 1 hour ago
In my case I think they really were angry because I am a Russian (only) citizen but I have never lived in Russia. I don’t hold an inner passport, only an outer passport (absolutely unfathomable to them), and I actually did at a point try to get the basic insurance set up, but I would have needed the inner passport for that. For them it was absolutely whack that I am a Russian citizen that has no Basic Insurance number and my very special circumstances (to add to that, at that point I was fluent in speaking and absolutely illiterate in reading and writing) were too complicated for them to follow and “every person has an insurance number wtf you’re Russian wtf is wrong with you just go and get a fucking number what’s your problem wtf why don’t you have a passport everyone has a passport from age 14 onwards wtf what is wrong with you” was absolutely the attitude.
But really, I understand, my situation was very complicated and my reasons were valid but going into all these details in a clinic, let alone an ER setting, would absolutely tire and drain the last remaining energy out of them. I absolutely prefer them being not lovey dovey and hand holding while telling me with a compassionate smile that they cannot do a CT scan without an insurance number, but instead getting necessary treatment and analysis on the spot. I don’t care if you call me names. I’ll forever be grateful to them.
Allero@lemmy.today 1 hour ago
I understand how confused they were!
Medics are absolutely not prepared to see something like this. Your case is very much out of the ordinary, and honestly, I didn’t know you can have outer passport without an inner one. Doesn’t the consulate provide one? Or did you just never bother to?
Glad that the situation worked out fine, though