Sky-rocketing hospital fees leave desperate individuals in Lebanon collecting funds online
The change in healthcare pricing has impacted the overall number of patient visits to their doctors with many individuals struggling to afford hospital fees and medical treatments. As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to online crowdfunding and social media platforms to collect funds for their medical expenses.
The collapse of the Lebanese pound, coupled with skyrocketing inflation, has made healthcare costs unattainable for a large portion of the population. These platforms have become a vital lifeline, allowing patients to seek help from the global community as they face the harsh reality of having to risk their health and lives due to financial constraints in Lebanon.
During the 2019 economic crisis, as the value of the local currency began to plummet, the government subsidized medicines to keep prices stable. However, the Lebanese pound has since lost over 90 per cent of its value, leading to hyperinflation, eroding purchasing power, slashing the value of salaries, and upending livelihoods across the country.
Depending on the severity of the cases and the number of days of hospitalization required, patients are now paying out of their own pockets to cover their bills.
Lebanon is facing a troubling reality that can no longer be ignored as basic healthcare has become a luxury. The country’s unprecedented economic crisis has decimated essential sources of medical coverage that most Lebanese once depended on. By mid-2021, Banque du Liban (BDL) could no longer supply importers with US dollars for medical equipment, supplies, and medications.
With the public sector overwhelmed, patients are left with no option but to turn to private hospitals, which demand additional payments that a population facing collapsing purchasing power struggles to afford.
Across the country, ordinary Lebanese can no longer afford to pay medical bills, which are now almost entirely dominated by cash US dollars.
Even before the financial crisis, about half of Lebanon’s population was not covered by health care, whether private or public.
“Private health insurance, the country’s sole remaining source of basic healthcare coverage, has become even more exclusive than ever. As of May 2022, private hospitals only accepted patients who can pay their bills in cash USD to meet hospital expenses,” Kamal Hijazi, a financial assistant staff from the Ministry of Health told NOW.
Possible solutions
Currently, the private health insurance sector, despite its significant shortcomings, remains the only feasible option for securing basic healthcare access. The government needs to regulate insurance companies to broaden coverage under private plans, particularly by promoting greater product diversification and improving market oversight, according to a hospital administrator who wished to remain anonymous.
Additionally, the state should establish an independent expert committee to examine insurers’ pricing practices and lower taxes on insurance products, which currently contribute to higher premium costs.
Systematic corruption
Statistical analysis shows that private health insurance companies have opportunistically boosted their profit margins by at least 25 per cent during Lebanon’s economic crisis. The market is highly concentrated, with the top ten insurers controlling 80 percent of market premiums. As the economic crisis deepened, numerous issues emerged between insurers and medical providers over billing arrangements.
The Lebanese government has struggled to offer sufficient social safety nets or financial aid to its citizens. Subsidies on essential goods, including medications, have been reduced, forcing individuals to cover the entire cost of their treatments.
The rise of crowdfunding
In the face of these challenges, many Lebanese have turned to online crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe, as well as local platforms, to seek financial help. These platforms allow individuals to share their stories and ask for donations from friends, family, and strangers from all over the world.
Social media has played a critical role in amplifying these crowdfunding campaigns. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are used to share fundraising pages, increasing the reach and potential for donations.
For many Lebanese, crowdfunding has become a lifeline. It is now very common to see GoFundMe pages for a wide range of medical needs, from surgeries and cancer treatments to covering the cost of ongoing care for chronic conditions.
However, for Tania Assaf, a hospital administrator in the financial department at Saint George Hospital in Lebanon, relying on crowdfunding for healthcare is far from ideal. “It often means that only those who are successful in their campaigns can access the care they need, while others may continue to suffer. Additionally, the emotional and psychological toll of having to publicly ask for help can be disturbing for many patients,” Assaf explained to NOW.
The reliance on crowdfunding for medical expenses in Lebanon highlights the broader failures of the healthcare and economic systems. It underscores the urgent need for structural reforms, international aid, and a more robust social safety net to ensure that all citizens can access the care they need without having to depend on such unsustainable methods to fund their treatments.
“Life has taken an unexpected and challenging turn, and I am left with no other choice amid the crisis in Lebanon,” Maria Samaha, a young diabetes patient in Lebanon in her early twenties spoke to NOW.
“For the past 8 years, I have been battling with type 2 diabetes. It requires ongoing treatment and expensive medication, and the worsening economic crisis in Lebanon has made it impossible for me to afford the care I desperately need,” said Samaha.
The cost of her medication has skyrocketed, and with the collapse of the Lebanese pound, it is now priced beyond anything she could have ever imagined. The doctors have informed her that without the treatment, her condition will continue to deteriorate, putting her life at risk, so she goes to Facebook groups of the Lebanese diaspora in different countries to collect some funds, where in many cases individuals ship her the medicine required for her treatment.
No money, a death sentence
Rabih Khoury, nurse at Mount Lebanon Hospital, told NOW that he sees patients with chronic illnesses, people who were once stable and managing their conditions are now desperate and in tears, knowing that without their medication, their health will decline rapidly.
“The economic collapse in our country has devastated our healthcare system. Every day, I witness patients who are forced to choose between feeding their families and paying for life-saving medications,” he said, raising serious concerns on the vital need of financial independence.
Rodayna Raydan is a Lebanese-British journalist. You can follow her on Twitter @Rodayna_462
The views in this story reflect those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of NOW.
