₹2,500 meds in India cost ₹42,000 in US — US medical bill stuns Indian man, suggests ‘retire in India’ | Today’s news
An Indian senior visiting the US was stunned by the exorbitant cost of healthcare in America – a medicine that cost only ₹2,500 in India has been priced at ₹42,000 in the US.
Considering relatively low drug prices and easy availability of healthcare facilities in India, he described those who spend their retirement years in India as “lucky”.
In X’s viral post, Adhir Sinha shared that he and his wife have been living in Seattle, Washington with their daughter for the past two months.
When the couple first arrived in the U.S., the wife was suffering from severe respiratory problems and had brought a supply of medication from India. However, in 2 months, when she was “almost cured”, she ran out of medication.
Sinha said he asked his daughter to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist, or respiratory specialist, in Seattle.
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What surprised him about American healthcare:
In the viral post, Sinha shared that they had to consult a GP first. “We got an appointment a week later – and that too, only by video call.
About 10 minutes into the phone meeting, Sinha said the doctor had prescribed the appropriate medication and that the couple could get it at the pharmacy. “We were told that the drugs were not immediately available and would take 4-5 days to arrive. We finally received the drugs on the fifth day.”
But the real sticking point for Sinha was the cost – he said even after the 50% discount, he still had to pay ₹21,000 for a ‘Made In India’ medicine which he could have easily bought ₹2500 back home.
“Surprisingly, the drugs were manufactured by Cipla and were labeled ‘Made in India’. Even after a 50% discount through US health insurance, we still had to pay the equivalent ₹21,000. This means that the medicines cost fairly ₹2,500 in India cost a staggering ₹42,000 in the US,” Sinha wrote.
“It took us 12 days to get the medicines here, which are easily available in every pharmacy in India,” he added.
Then he got another big bill – a doctor’s consultation fee. “A week later we received a bill for $283 (approx ₹23,000) for the doctor’s consultation fee,” said Sinha.
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India is ‘full of conveniences’
“Consider yourself lucky to be living in retirement in India,” Sinha said, adding that the “good life” that Indians seek abroad is actually in India.
“Pause and think…certain everyday conveniences—unaffordable even to billionaires in London or New York—are readily available to the middle class in India,” he said.
He also shared 7 examples that prove his claim “that even a common man’s life in India equates to a ‘VIP lifestyle’ in the US, including affordable mobile data, fast trading services, easy access to healthcare, domestic help, UPI payments, everyday amenities like free drinking water at restaurants and strong community support.”
“India is not just a country, it is a wonderful world full of conveniences at every turn,” Sinha said.
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How netizens reacted:
Social media users had mixed reactions to Sinha’s post. While some understood the emotion behind the post, others highlighted how the same country can treat two people from different classes in a completely different way.
“I agree if you are upper middle class India is the best place. But the country as a whole should focus on keeping the surroundings clean and personal hygiene as well,” the user said.
“The cost of living is high for the quality of life!!” another user said. “The main thing I like is that the low cost of basic food in India is possible! Even if you have a low income, you can do without processed food! The food industry, having so much processed food, keeps costs down, which greatly affects the low income!”
However, a critic asked: “How many people in India, including decent rich people, can get to the hospital in time if they have a heart attack? I’ll leave it at that.”
