An Indian senior citizen's account of navigating the US healthcare system has sparked a discussion online after he claimed that a medicine that costs around ₹2,500 in India ended up costing the equivalent of ₹42,000 in the US.
In an X post, user Adhir Sinha shared that he had been staying in Seattle with his wife for 2 months. He recounted how they had to seek medical help after the supply of medicines they had brought from India ran out. His wife had been recovering from a respiratory illness using medication prescribed in India, but they needed a prescription after exhausting their stocks.
"As our supply ran out, So, I asked my daughter to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist (respiratory specialist) in Seattle. We had to consult a general physician first. We were given an appointment for a week later-and that too, only via a video call," Sinha wrote in the X post.
"We spoke to the doctor on the phone for about 10 minutes. He said he understood the issue and prescribed appropriate medicines," he added.
{{/usCountry}}"We spoke to the doctor on the phone for about 10 minutes. He said he understood the issue and prescribed appropriate medicines," he added.
{{/usCountry}}However, he said that the prescription was not immediately available and would take 4-5 days to arrive. "We finally received the medicines on the fifth day," he wrote.
Sinha said that the medicines were manufactured by Cipla and labelled 'Made in India'. He wrote that despite having US medical insurance that covered half the cost, they still paid the equivalent of ₹21,000. "This means medicines costing just ₹2,500 in India cost a staggering ₹42,000 in the US," he wrote.
Sinha further said that it took 12 days to receive the medicines that would have been readily available at a neighbourhood pharmacy in India. He also stated that a week later, he also received a doctor's consultation bill of $283 (around ₹23,000).
Calling India an ideal place for retirees, Sinha argued that many conveniences available to the Indian middle class remain difficult or expensive to access abroad. "Consider yourselves to be fortunate to be living in India during your retirement years," he wrote.
"We often look abroad in search of a 'good life.' But if we pause to think... certain everyday conveniences-unavailable even to billionaires in London or New York-are easily accessible to the middle class in India," he added.
Sinha further went on to list 7 advantages of living in India, including affordable mobile data, quick-commerce services, easy access to healthcare, domestic help, UPI payments, everyday conveniences such as free drinking water at restaurants, and strong community support.
"India is not merely a country; it is a wonderful world filled with conveniences at every turn," Sinha concluded.
(Also Read: 'Lonely, expensive, ruthless': Indian woman says she ‘cannot romanticise America anymore’)
What did social media say?
The viral post prompted mixed reactions from social media users.
One user wrote, "Cost of living is high for the quality of life !! Main thing i like is the low cost of basic food in India is possible! If you're even low income you can manage without processed food! Food industry to have so much processed food is cut cost which affects low income a lot!"
"Yes, agree that all the plus point you listed for India. But general quality of life & life expectancy is far lower in India compared to US. We need young leaders to make our country better, great infrastructure and less corruption," commented another.
"Agreed, if you are upper middle class, India is the best place. But, the country as a whole should focus on keeping surroundings clean, and also peesonal hygiene," wrote a third user.