FAO USA - where is the con?
- Thread starter bulldog5046
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bulldog5046
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is it common for employers to pay for it?
I think it safe to say that for professional career employee at a management level a large portion is paid. Usually not 100% and usually insurance for family members must be paid for in some higher amount. Some employers will give you a set amount of money to purchase benefits with. You can then decide how you want to spend those dollars including more vacation days and perhaps a health insurance plan with higher co-pays. Maybe you want more life insurance or more into a retirement plan.bulldog5046 said:
ksher said:
One must remember that the news media the world over tend to be liberal leaning towards socialism. And so are quite naturally apposed to any gun ownership by someone as low as a common citizen. So their reporting will be biased to support their view. It's no wonder the folks from other countries think that main street USA looks like high noon in a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, or a kill bill movie.
A good way to illustrate this is when there is an aircraft accident. Based on the media reporting, one could be convinced that being an airline passenger is the most dangerous thing a person could ever do. Which of course is totally incorrect.
As for health care. We have a great system. It is not perfect though. But if I need an MRI or a CAT scan. I can get one within a day or two. And I am always able to make an appointment with my doctor and be seen that day or the next. Both my wife and I have private policies. And I am retired military. But it has been a long time since I have used my military public health policy. Because my private policy is better than my cheap public one.
Even if one does not have health insurance one can go to a hospital emergency room and will not be turned away.
Again, the news media will by default over state any bad events to further more government control over us lowly commoners. People are not dying by the tens of thousands in the streets due to the government not being in control of health care.
My former work mate's inlaws live in western Canada. When her doctor informed her that she had cancer. She was notified that it would be an 18 month wait for treatment. She traveled to South Dakota (my former home) and was treated post haste. It saved her life.
Yep! We are such cold hearted bastards here in America. A gun wielding criminal behind every tree I tell you. And a doctor right beside them to make sure you don't get any medical help. At least that's how the news media portrays it.
Cheers
Jerry
Now it's off to Costa Rica for a holiday.
I think the USA is a bit ahead of us in "quality" at the moment. That may change with Obama's new plan....We'll have to wait and see.mcbeee said:ksher said:
(The $400 or $500 is for the USA. per month , if I lived there as a resident) If you don't get it through your employer it's not cheap down there. Therefore if you don't have a job, it gets difficult to pay Health insurance.......and I won't be working down there. Just playing in the warmth while it freezes up North.....
Just so you know, if an American (or other tourist ) comes up here we are almost as expensive for medical help as the US,... if you don't have insurance.
I was in to get my neck fused a couple of years ago and some poor sod from the UK had hit a tree skiing, broke his back.... $25,000 later on his VISA, your UK folks sent over a plane to get him. He had to wait that long (25K) before our medics would let him travel.
A bit late to this party, but my GF works for the NHS, seeing first (or I suppose second) hand the amount of money that is wasted by that organisation is just outright scary.
All the red-tape and beaurocratic bullshit almost guarantees that the right person is not put in the right role and it's nigh impossible to get rid of someone that cannot perform the role they've been stuck in. To the point where patients are getting a laughably bad level of care for the amount of money that's injected into the healthcare service.
All the red-tape and beaurocratic bullshit almost guarantees that the right person is not put in the right role and it's nigh impossible to get rid of someone that cannot perform the role they've been stuck in. To the point where patients are getting a laughably bad level of care for the amount of money that's injected into the healthcare service.
Tweed said:
The problem is we get an average quality healthcare service for an extremely high price (public sector = burn money)...
bulldog5046 said:
(Americans, feel free to correct me
)As a minimum. It can be $1000s per month. However everything is cheaper - housing hilariously so. Top tax rate is only 35%, and most people pay 25-28%. As long as you have insurance....you are probably better off. The 'catches' ? Well
A) if you are a Brit with any form of qualifications it's extremely difficult / impossible to get a visa (you might take a job from an American). There are ways (set up a company, get sponsored, marry an American, etc) but it's not easy. Canada is similar in many ways and MUCH easier to get into - they operate a points system.
B) Culture / geography / social / daily life - despite the broad similarities, like any foreign country you need to get past the 'holiday' phase, let the novelty of it wear off and spend your day to day life living and working in a foreign country...that's the only time you will realise if you truly like living there and feel at home. I've lived on both sides, there are +vs and -vs for both really...
Well, as I'm biased, no cons. We get to talk crap about our elected officials, have good health care, etc. Well, maybe one con is we work too damn much. 1 week vacation usually, but there is no national consensus. Some give certain numbers of paid sick days, some don't. Some give 1 week vacation, some more. Some allow all national holidays off with pay, some don't. Depends on which state you're in and which business you're in. Skilled labor is usually paid pretty well as are professionals.Where were you looking in Florida? It's a big state. Heck my state is about 3/5 the size of Britain just by itself. You'd have lots of opportunity for nice long drives, though.
I whole heartedly agree with smokin. Somewhere along the line we americans were taught that if we take any time for ourselves we are considered lazy and unproductive. There is an additional problem that we have. The average american does not save or invest nearly enough money to prepare for retirement. There are to many folks over here that even if they make many times the national average wages. Will live paycheck to paycheck. Instead of buying a nice home, they want a mansion. Instead of a nice car (like a zed) they want a ferrari and a zed. And of course the credit card is always at the maximum.
I once worked with a nice gal who would complain that she just did not have enough time in the day to get everything done. One day she comes up to me and said that she had volunteered to work with the PTA (parent teachers association) After that I told her i did not want to hear her complaining ever again.
I once worked with a nice gal who would complain that she just did not have enough time in the day to get everything done. One day she comes up to me and said that she had volunteered to work with the PTA (parent teachers association) After that I told her i did not want to hear her complaining ever again.
A
Anonymous
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WLH said:
Don't be surprised about the cost of US health insurance. Think about it - the NHS costs us £100bn a year and rising rapidly. There are probably only 30m income tax payers in the UK which means we all pay £3,300 per year which is approx $5,000 (or $417 per month). In the US your chances of surviving certain types of cancer for example, are much higher than here in the UK. We listen to politicians rhetoric about how "wonderful" the NHS is but it isn't I'm afraid. The people are, the talent is, its just the system that deploys them isn't.
The US philosophy is that central government involvement is bad, expensive and inefficient. I have to say I agree.
I've been to many states in the US and I have to say I feel safer over there than over here ! Their gun crime is often concentrated in very poor ghettos. The main difference is in attitude - in Europe there is an expectation that the state will cushion you if you fall on hard times (or are lazy) but in the US you're on your own.
The US philosophy is that central government involvement is bad, expensive and inefficient. I have to say I agree.
I've been to many states in the US and I have to say I feel safer over there than over here ! Their gun crime is often concentrated in very poor ghettos. The main difference is in attitude - in Europe there is an expectation that the state will cushion you if you fall on hard times (or are lazy) but in the US you're on your own.
wegras said:Tweed said:
That's exactly the way our Daughter-in-law describes it
I've worked as a doctor in the NHS for eight years. During that time I have watched as systematically the current government has undermined the reputation of my profession in the eyes of the general population. I would not argue that there no are inefficiencies within the organisation, or that management have not been given too much control over clinical matters of which they know little. Absolutely, I would support fairer working conditions for nurses and other healthcare workers, and I am incensed beyond measure regarding the effects of the European Working Time Directive on my training, working conditions, and dare I say salary (If you crash your Zed at 2am and need urgent surgery, it'll be me operating on you in exchange for the £7.46 per hour I get paid for working outside of 0900-1700h).
However, these complaints are specific to those of us within the organisation. From a service perspective, my hospital will provide you with a CT or MRI scan on the day of admission if warranted by the severity of your injury; an outpatient scan within a week for more minor injuries; a scan within 6 weeks for routine outpatient complaints. Cancer investigations and treatment will be initiated within two weeks (a mandatory target). Over 98% of people seen in the emergency deparment will be seen and admitted, or treated and discharged within four hours. All broken hips (common fragility fractures in the elderly) are operated upon within 24 hours, if their health allows. All routine outpatient referrals are seen in clinic, investigated (scans etc), listed for surgery and operated on within 18 weeks of first consultation with the GP.
Are any of you paying $500 per month for this? Not to mention for the right you think you have to complain about the service you receive, to shout at staff at 3am just because you got pissed and fell over again, and because you presume that the government-fuelled lies about GPs earning £250K pa for 4 days work can be extrapolated to all doctors. I suggest you consider what you get in exchange for your taxes, and compare this with the service that you can expect from industries for which you pay directly, such as main dealer repairs...
Rant over!
Extremely well said Z4MC - exactly the point I would have made if I could be bothered typing :wink:
The system is far too inefficient but that's inevitable with any large organisation. On clinical grounds, I think it's a system to be proud of - patents get the care they need (and which is best suited to them rather than the clinician's pocket) in a timescale which is appropriate. I just wish the government would realise that it's not THAT important to have your varicose veins fixed or sebacceous cyst removed within 18 weeks and there might well be a bit more flexibility for more urgent conditions.
Are you a surgical trainee - I'm guessing from you're EWTD rant that you are. Wholeheartedly agree with every word you said!
The system is far too inefficient but that's inevitable with any large organisation. On clinical grounds, I think it's a system to be proud of - patents get the care they need (and which is best suited to them rather than the clinician's pocket) in a timescale which is appropriate. I just wish the government would realise that it's not THAT important to have your varicose veins fixed or sebacceous cyst removed within 18 weeks and there might well be a bit more flexibility for more urgent conditions.
Are you a surgical trainee - I'm guessing from you're EWTD rant that you are. Wholeheartedly agree with every word you said!
Effective Jan1st, 2009 our Provincial govt. cancelled the the need for payment of premiums for our Health Care Plan. (Ours is funded and managed Provincially but mandated by the Feds.)
As the price of oil and gas go up so does our Provinces cashflow. Recently we have experienced a serious degredation in health care services and facilities. shortage of staff, available beds and specialised equipment. Mostly due to mismanagement by the Government agencies involved. Sound familiar ???
I'd gladly pay a couple of hundred a month just to have proper management and therefore a much better system in place. Up to now I have very few complaints. That may change...
As the price of oil and gas go up so does our Provinces cashflow. Recently we have experienced a serious degredation in health care services and facilities. shortage of staff, available beds and specialised equipment. Mostly due to mismanagement by the Government agencies involved. Sound familiar ???
I'd gladly pay a couple of hundred a month just to have proper management and therefore a much better system in place. Up to now I have very few complaints. That may change...
I am indeed. Currently a general surgery ST1 (working in urology at the moment :roll: ) I do love my job and really wouldn't do anything else given the chance, but the amount of bureaucracy and unrealistic targets seriously does my head in. But then, that's what happens when you have a target system built on quantity, not quality. Roll on the Darzi changes!
