Frustrated with the expensive and complex healthcare system of the US, an NRI couple returned to India after 17 years. Insurance premiums, a $14,000 deductible and no support system made life difficult. He liked India’s easy, accessible and low-cost healthcare.
New Delhi. An NRI couple’s decision to return to India after living in America for 17 years is going viral on social media. The couple told in their video that despite having a good job, a big house and a set life in America, they were gradually getting trapped in a system which had a deep impact on both their finances and mental peace – the extremely expensive and complex healthcare system of the US. The couple has twin children and the expense of every small medical procedure for the family was a strain on their budget. He said that despite having insurance, he had to pay a $14,000 out-of-pocket deductible every year. On top of this, the monthly insurance premium itself was $1,600 – and that too just for the husband and wife. The cost would have increased even more if children were included.
What did the NRI couple say on US health care?
According to the couple, it was not easy to reach a doctor in America. Long waits for appointments, complexities of the system, and high costs per visit made even small problems costly and stressful. “US health care is like a farmer—you have to pay everything slowly, even if you have insurance,” he said. Gradually this system started feeling like ‘luxury’ for them. Many times even important medical needs had to be postponed due to fear of money. This was the reason why they felt that in America they are just surviving, not living.
Is US healthcare so expensive that people are forced to leave the country?
The couple said that every test, every medicine, every doctor visit has to be paid out of pocket until the deductible is met. In any emergency or illness, thousands of dollars are spent in an instant. According to him, healthcare is the only sector that ‘crushes’ people economically in America.
Is India’s healthcare really easy and accessible?
After returning to India, the couple realized that healthcare here was easy, fast and accessible.
- get a doctor immediately
- No long appointment lines
- cost of treatment very low
- Family and support system always there
“India isn’t perfect, but healthcare doesn’t feel like a luxury here. It’s the respite we needed,” says the couple.
Was the support system also a big reason?
It was becoming difficult to live with children in America and handle everything alone. After coming to India, he got the support of his family, which makes the burden of life seem lighter. She said, “This step was not to run away, but to move towards a life where healthcare is not a burden and motherhood does not seem like a lonely battle.”
Have others had similar experiences?
In the comments, many users said that they too have the same problem. One user said that his doctor sister-in-law’s appendicitis surgery was done for $45,000 in the US, whereas in India the same treatment is done for ₹30,000. In another viral video, an American woman shared her experience of getting treatment in India for just ₹50.
Was returning to India the right decision?
The couple says both countries have their own advantages and disadvantages, but India gave them what they needed most – peace, support systems and accessible healthcare. This story is not just a family’s decision, but a bigger question, is the expensive healthcare in the US forcing the NRI family to return back to India?