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Which European country has the best, cheapest health care system for an American with a rare disease?

  • I'm in Africa right now -- and want to get checked out for chronic fatigue and persistent diarrhea. Have been to multiple African clinics but they can't find anything, and I need peace of mind from a Western clinic. Which European country should I fly to for treatment? Which would take me for free / give me the least hassle? Note: I'm not dying, obviously -- I'm sleeping 16 hours a day and feel great 4 hours a day, but I'm persistently tired and I haven't been able to shake it. Worried it's a "black swan."

  • Answer:

    As an American, not resident in Europe, you won't qualify for any of the national health/social security schemes that European nationals and residents enjoy.  So you'll have to pay out of pocket or via insurance. Your best bet may well be the London Hospital for Tropical Diseases http://www.thehtd.org/Clinics.aspx.  I can't definitively say that it's better than other European tropical medicine clinics but a) the staff speak English which is probably a good thing for you as an American and b) in view of our imperial history, British tropical medicine is probably at least as good as anywhere else's.

Hilary Curtis at Quora Visit the source

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As mentioned by Brian it does sound like African Trypanosomiasis  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002338/ It could also be a whole host of other things like Thyroid misfunction, depression (you don't need to be sad to be depressed) or another hormone inbalance. There are also specific sleeping disorders it could be, though rare. As Hilary said London Hospital for Tropical Diseases is your best bet. I've had two family members admitted there and they're both still walking around :) Here is some information about charges that will be made if you're not an EU national http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_family/health_index_ew/nhs_charges_for_people_from_abroad.htm#NHSchargesandpeoplefromabroad

Max Holloway

Not trying to scare you but sounds like African trypanosomiasis http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002338/ . Have you been bitten by any tsetse flies? Also South Africa has a world renowned hospital for infectious diseases.  Of course the name escapes me right now but if you are close to there you might be better off going that way.

Brian Carey

Most French and UK hospitals ask no questions in terms of nationality, as long as you can provide a local address. Especially in areas with few immigrants.  Not that I'm suggesting you abuse the system!

Kerry Smallman

As a tourist they will treat you in the UK for free/cheap. I lived there for years and paid in to National Insurance. The hospitals don't look like resorts the way they do in the US, and the system is nearly bankrupt, but you'll get great care. They will not turn you down. You'll likely just need to wait at A&E at a hospital for a while. The further you could get out of London the better (in terms if wait time).

Erika Jensen

Is there some way you can get airlifted to your local aircraft carrier?  They have doctors and all that.  Maybe hire a boat, have a friend cruise you out to the USS Bill Clinton (or whatever) and then you just fall overboard waving a US passport.

David Urquhart

Perhaps you might consider Asia as an alternative to Europe.  Thailand has some fantastic hospitals at great prices, and I hear that India has some good options too.

Wen Shi Di

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