Pet Care Payment Differences

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The main difference between pet care and human healthcare in the US lies in how payments are made. While most people have health insurance covering the bulk of medical costs, pet owners are mostly responsible for paying the full vet bill upfront and out of pocket. Only a small minority of pet owners have pet insurance, and even with insurance, they often have to pay upfront and wait for reimbursement. Pet insurance typically does not cover pre-existing conditions and charges more for older pets, resembling the pre-Obamacare model of human healthcare.

Over the past decade, the cost of veterinary care in the U.S. has skyrocketed, as health care for pets has come to look more like health care for people.

Katie Thomas, an investigative health care reporter for The Times, discusses how pet care became a multi-billion-dollar industry, and the fraught emotional and financial landscape that has created for pet owners.

Guest: Katie Thomas, an investigative health care reporter for The New York Times.

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