“American healthcare is broken and it’s so sad what it could cost us.”
An American woman has gone viral on TikTok after revealing that she travelled to Malaysia for a breast MRI, explaining that not only was the equipment newer, but she also did not have to deal with insurance approval hurdles in the United States.
In her video, she said she had to “fight” her insurance provider just to get her first breast MRI approved in the US.
Although the results came back clear, doctors recommended a follow-up scan in six months to monitor a mass.
However, she expressed scepticism that her insurer would approve a second MRI since the first did not show anything alarming.
“Well, good luck with that because what insurance company is going to allow me to go a second time when the results of the first literally showed nothing of concern?
“Not mine.”
Instead of waiting for approval, she chose to travel to Malaysia and pay out of pocket — without health or travel insurance.
According to her, US$1,200 (RM4,665) covered:
- A breast MRI using a 3 Tesla (3T) machine
- An additional breast ultrasound recommended by a doctor
- Two consultations with a local breast surgeon
She added that the 3T MRI equipment she accessed in Malaysia was newer than what she had available at home.
“American healthcare is broken and it’s so sad what it could cost us,” shared Krystal in her post.
Her post resonated with many TikTok users.
“Even my American aunty flew from the states just to do her catarac surgery here,” shared Liyana.
“And the crazy things is the entire trip would probably still cost cheaper than being treated in America. Those hospital bills are no joke,” commented another.
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