Chapter 12 — Exercises

Healthcare decisions are high-stakes and time-sensitive, so these exercises build fast, correct instincts. Sample answers for closed items follow.

A. What Would You Do?

Scenario 1: A bad cold (in the US)

You have a heavy cold and a fever, but you can breathe fine and it's not an emergency. You're in the US. You: - (a) Go to the ER to be safe. - (b) Go to an urgent care / walk-in clinic, or call your PCP — far cheaper and appropriate. - (c) Buy antibiotics over the counter. - (d) Do nothing and hope.

Scenario 2: No insurance yet (US)

You've just started a US job; benefits haven't kicked in. You: - (a) Skip insurance to save money and hope you don't get sick. - (b) Get coverage as fast as possible (enroll in employer plan / marketplace / interim plan) — being uninsured is financially dangerous. - (c) Assume the ER is free. - (d) Plan to fly home if anything happens.

Scenario 3: You need a specialist

You think you need to see a skin specialist (dermatologist). You: - (a) Book the specialist directly and assume it's covered. - (b) See your GP/PCP first for a referral (often required by the system/insurance). - (c) Go to the ER for a skin issue. - (d) Self-diagnose online and self-treat.

Scenario 4: Struggling emotionally

Culture shock has you anxious and low for weeks. You: - (a) Hide it; mental-health help is shameful. - (b) Seek support (campus counseling, GP, employee assistance) — it's normal and okay in the West. - (c) Assume nothing can help. - (d) Wait until it's a crisis.

Scenario 5: The shocking US bill (new)

A US medical bill arrives for far more than you expected. You: - (a) Pay it immediately in full without question. - (b) Request an itemized bill, check for errors, ask about financial assistance/charity care and a payment plan, and negotiate — US bills are often reducible. - (c) Ignore it and hope it disappears. - (d) Panic and assume you must leave the country.

Choose and justify each. Why is Scenario 1(b) so important specifically in the US? Why is the US bill (Scenario 5) often negotiable?

B. Decode This

  1. "What's your deductible?"
  2. "Is the doctor in-network?"
  3. "You'll need a referral."
  4. "Who's your PCP?"
  5. "Do you take my insurance?"
  6. (new) "Have you met your deductible this year?"
  7. (new) "That'll be an out-of-pocket cost."

C. Translate Between Cultures

Task 1 — Right venue. You're used to walking into a clinic for anything. For each, name the correct Western venue: 1. Severe chest pain and trouble breathing. 2. A mild sore throat that's lingered three days. 3. A deep cut needing stitches, not life-threatening.

Task 2 — Ask for help. Write what you'd say to: 1. Find out if a doctor's office accepts your insurance (US). 2. Request a language interpreter at a hospital.

Task 3 — The "before you're sick" plan (new). Write your personal one-page health plan: your insurance/registration status, your GP/PCP, the nearest urgent care, the emergency number, and (for the US) your deductible. Why does having this before an illness save money and panic?

D. Culture-Shock Journal

  1. Your system. What's the healthcare system where you live now? Are you insured/registered? Do you have a GP/PCP?
  2. The contrast. How does it compare to home — simpler, harder, cheaper, more confusing?
  3. Mental health. How is mental health viewed in your home culture vs. here? Would you feel comfortable seeking help?
  4. Stigma check (new). Tao almost suffered alone because of home-culture stigma. Is there a health belief you carry that may no longer apply here? What would it take to update it?

E. Ask a Local

Ask a Western friend: - "If I got sick at night but it wasn't an emergency, where would you tell me to go?" - (US) "What do I need to know about insurance so I don't get a surprise bill?" - (new) "Have you ever used counseling or therapy, and is it a normal thing to do here?"

Record the answer.

F. Self-Assessment

Rate 1–5: 1. I'm insured/registered for healthcare here. 2. I have a GP/PCP and know how referrals work. 3. I know when to use the ER vs. urgent care vs. a doctor. 4. (US) I understand my plan's deductible, copays, and in-network rules. 5. I'd feel okay seeking mental-health support if I needed it.

Note date and scores. (Appendix J collects the book's self-assessments; Appendix I has health resources and crisis lines.)

Sample Answers & Discussion

A: 1 → (b) — urgent care/PCP is appropriate and far cheaper; the US ER (a) could cost thousands for a cold, and antibiotics (c) need a prescription and don't treat viruses. 2 → (b) — get covered fast; being uninsured in the US is financially dangerous, and the ER is not free. 3 → (b) — see your GP/PCP for a referral (usually required). 4 → (b) — seeking mental-health help is normal and okay in the West. 5 → (b) — request an itemized bill, check for errors, ask about financial assistance and payment plans, and negotiate. Why 1(b) matters in the US: the ER is extremely expensive there, so choosing urgent care for non-emergencies can save you thousands. Why bills negotiate: US medical pricing is opaque and often padded; hospitals routinely offer discounts, charity care, and payment plans if you ask.

B — Decode This: 1 = how much you pay yourself before insurance starts covering. 2 = is this doctor covered (cheaper) under your plan? (out-of-network = much costlier). 3 = your GP/PCP must formally send you to a specialist. 4 = your primary care physician/family doctor. 5 = "will my insurance cover a visit here?" (ask before booking). 6 = have you yet paid enough out-of-pocket this year that insurance now covers more? 7 = you'll pay this yourself (not covered, or before the deductible).

C — Task 1: 1 = ER / call emergency number (911/999/000/112). 2 = GP/PCP appointment or urgent slot (or pharmacist advice). 3 = urgent care / walk-in clinic. Task 2: 1 = "Hi, do you take [insurance name], and are you in-network for my plan?" 2 = "Could I please have an interpreter for [language]?" (often free at hospitals). Task 3: having the plan ready means you choose the right venue under stress (saving thousands) instead of defaulting to the ER, and you're never scrambling to find a doctor mid-illness.

D, E, F are personal — your honest reflection is the answer.