Back in September, I learned more about the American health care system than I probably ever wanted to, all because of a sprained ankle. And it made me realize the stark differences in how health care works in South Korea, where there is universal healthcare, and here in the United States.
Three days before Belmont Town Day, my Taekwondo team was running our final rehearsal for a demonstration. I landed awkwardly after a kick and immediately dropped to the floor, clutching my ankle. I was convinced I had torn something important. With a performance coming up, resting and hoping for the best did not feel responsible. An X-ray seemed like the obvious next step.
I went to urgent care the next morning, assuming the visit would only take a couple of hours. (I mean, doesn’t “urgent” imply speed?). Instead, the visit lasted the entire morning. Waiting to see the doctor wasn’t the issue. It was the fact that I had come to urgent care for an X-ray, and their machine was broken.
They gave me good care; the nurses were very kind, and they were really careful with the way they examined my ankle. They ended up giving me crutches and transferring me to a hospital about 15 minutes away. This is probably the moment that I should have realized that the hospital visit was going to take longer than I expected.
At the hospital, a technician took the X-ray images. It felt almost anticlimactic, but at least I assumed I would receive results soon.
What came first were the bills. Three separate charges arrived. One for the use of the imaging equipment. One for the technician who took the images. One for the physician who interpreted them. Even with health insurance, my family ended up paying close to $600. What never arrived were the results themselves — even after several calls to the urgent care and the hospital.
My case wasn’t serious. I wasn’t facing surgery or a life-threatening illness. But the experience was draining. Both physically — because I had to move around a lot with an injured body, and mentally — because of the frustration that comes with uncertainty.
And of course, the money. If seeing a doctor and getting an X-ray cost me $600, then I can’t imagine how much a serious injury would cost.
What stood out to me is how different things are in South Korea.
South Korea operates under a national health insurance system that covers nearly everyone. When my family traveled there over the summer, my mom scheduled multiple appointments in a short span of time. She visited an acupuncturist, saw a dentist, and checked in with an orthopedist. She stocked up on medications for common illnesses. My dad joked that she looked like a “drug dealer” with the amount she brought home.
Prices are standardized and generally affordable.
After some quick research, I found that under South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service, an X-ray for a sprained ankle would generally be free, or at most cost about $20.
Health care in the United States has its strengths. The U.S. leads the world in medical research and advanced treatments. Many of the most innovative procedures and technologies are developed here. And, as I mentioned, the nurses were some of the kindest souls I’ve ever met.
My ankle healed. The performance went on. The bills were paid.
And yet, the X-ray results never came.
This made me realize that sometimes the biggest difference between two systems is not the technology or the talent, but whether the patient actually gets an answer.
Junyoung Hong moved to the U.S. in 2023 and has lived in Belmont since. He is a junior at Belmont High School and is interested in writing about social issues, getting to know people, and playing sports. He plays for the Belmont varsity golf team. He also practices Taekwondo and leads the demo team, which performs at Belmont Town Day every year.
