Hacker News Reader

Comment by floor2 | Hacker News Reader

So about 3-4 days of work as an entry-level Facebook developer, or 3-3.5 weeks of work at a McDonalds (based on every fast-food place around me having billboards up offering starting wages of $18-20/hr).

Getting access to emergency life-saving treatment, which leverages billions of dollars in research & development and hours of work from a team of doctors, radiologists, nurses, pharmacists, support staff, etc in exchange for being asked to contribute back to society by cooking burgers for a month feels like a pretty amazing offer compared to how almost all humans have existed in history and most still do around the world today.

View on HN

The fact that we have better health infrastructure in most places worldwide than ever before in human history is true. But saying a surprise, out-of-the-blue 2.5k medical bill can be taken care of by working nearly a month at McDonalds without factoring the high cut of that wage that goes to living is facile at best and cruel at worst.

Since the typical fast food service worker see almost their entire paycheck go to living expenses before any opportunity for luxuries or savings, that does indeed sound like a crippling if not insurmountable financial burden for someone who incurs an x-ray expense like this unexpectedly. Especially since whatever reason they have for needing an x-ray could affect their ability to earn income from McDonalds. I don't think hourly wage work offers the same perks as entry-level development roles at facebook with regards to paid sick leave.

This example is totally unrealistic. In the USA someone supporting themselves working at McDonalds would qualify for Medicaid and have essentially no out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Alas, still no cure for Stockholm Syndrome.

> 3-3.5 weeks of work at a McDonalds

With a broken limb (which is presumably why you required the X-ray in the first place)?

> 3-3.5 weeks of work at a McDonalds

Sure, if you don't pay for rent, food, or transportation to work.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com