As you know, I currently live in America so I PAY enormous amounts of money for health insurance and STILL pay for Doctor's visits. I'm looking at those costs thinking *sigh* I don't think they'd even let you look at the door to a doctor's surgery for that amount of money...
It actually varies wildly because depending on the job you have, your company pays part of your health insurance costs as part of your compensation package... or doesn't. If you've got a spouse and/or kids to cover the costs sky rocket. I'm lucky in that I work for a university that *does* pay most of my healthcare costs so mine -- just to cover me -- runs about $45 dollars a month and then there's a deductable -- like with any other kind of insurance -- and there are still (subsidised) fees to see Doctors, dentists and the like
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So the basic money you pay out is sort of comparable to here, isn't it? Except here it's compulsory. I earn a very low wage (compared to lots of people - I'm a couple of quid above minimum wage. I don't earn nearly enough to start repaying my student loan) and I pay out over £25 per week in NI, then my employers pay out about the same again. Then I pay £15 a month for dental because there aren't any NHS dentists anywhere. The difference is you guys then pay again to see anyone, whereas we just pay if we need drugs or whatever. Or if we actually want to see anyone other than a GP within the next decade. For instance, I pay £40 a throw to see an osteopath, who helps me beyond all belief - because the NHS won't pay out for one, no chance in hell. It's taken me three referrals and two years to get to see the guy about my back who's now trying to patch up the damage of the last ten years XD Loads of people have said I should pay to go private...but a. can't afford it and b. think it's wrong that people over here can pay to see the same
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I had typed a really long reply here and then LJ ate it... bah.
To summarize... Americans still pay for healthcare in their taxes -- theoretically *cough* there is a safety net for those who cannot affor health insurance, but you have to be REALLY REALLY poor to qualify.
There are truly scary statistics on the number of middle class Americans forced to declare bankcruptcy due to medical costs. If your kid's life is on the line you sign and then figure out how to pay.
America is amazing in a lot of ways but it is a terrifying place to be poor, or even worse, poor and elderly in. The down side to believing that anyone can be anything IF they just work hard enough is that they're not big on helping those who work flat out and yet never make it.
Oh, totally. I have friends who've almost gone under from medical expenses (in the US). I'm in no way saying the NHS is the worst thing ever, but it does fall down badly for a lot of the time. And no one seems to be making it better. In Brighton if you go to hozza you are more likely to be ill when you leave (with c.Dif or MRSA) than when you went in!
I'm also out of touch on some things, so I'm not sure what the minimum wage is in England now.
Here's that information for the States and remember that the pound is worth roughly $2.00...
$5.85 - July 24th, 2007 $6.55 - July 24th, 2008 $7.25 - July 24th, 2009
Oops. Should explain -- those are staged increases in the minimum wage.
Oh and for the record, I do hear the scary stories from my family and friends in England. It's just that scary steps up to a whole other level here, when you think we're talking about people who would be easily able to afford BUPA in England for what they're probably shelling out in the States and they're still terrified of getting sick...
And... OMG! We must indeed be grown-ups... LOOK at this conversation!
Our minimum wage is above that - just over a fiver an hour, I think, for over 21s. But then again, rent and housing is astronomical here. My flat, which is the cheapest place I've lived in in Brighton, is three bedroom and costs £960 pcm. Most three bed places here you won't get for under £1,200pcm. A one-bedroom flat would cost you about £170,000 to buy. We pay the cheapest council tax you can, which is £81 per month...and that buys us...well...nowt, as far as we can tell XD And everything else is climbing...gas has just gone up 15%, and leccy too. It's nuts! Don't come back! XD
Well the minimum wage here right now is just under three quid so...
The cost of living IS much higher in England but it also depends on where you live. Real estate prices in the cities here can get pretty ridiculous, pretty fast. What keeps costs down here though is there's a LOT more available land!
I have ties here that I'm trying to manage in order to move home. I really do like America BUT it is NOT home and it never will be. I'm tired of sitting on my sense of humour (as the rent boy said to the copper) for instance.
Bah! Enough of this grown up chat... NOBS!!!!!! ARSE!!!!!!!!! There. Now I feel better *g*
I hope the drugs ease you pain. *hugs*
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To summarize... Americans still pay for healthcare in their taxes -- theoretically *cough* there is a safety net for those who cannot affor health insurance, but you have to be REALLY REALLY poor to qualify.
There are truly scary statistics on the number of middle class Americans forced to declare bankcruptcy due to medical costs. If your kid's life is on the line you sign and then figure out how to pay.
America is amazing in a lot of ways but it is a terrifying place to be poor, or even worse, poor and elderly in. The down side to believing that anyone can be anything IF they just work hard enough is that they're not big on helping those who work flat out and yet never make it.
Reply
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Here's that information for the States and remember that the pound is worth roughly $2.00...
$5.85 - July 24th, 2007
$6.55 - July 24th, 2008
$7.25 - July 24th, 2009
Oops. Should explain -- those are staged increases in the minimum wage.
Oh and for the record, I do hear the scary stories from my family and friends in England. It's just that scary steps up to a whole other level here, when you think we're talking about people who would be easily able to afford BUPA in England for what they're probably shelling out in the States and they're still terrified of getting sick...
And... OMG! We must indeed be grown-ups... LOOK at this conversation!
Reply
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The cost of living IS much higher in England but it also depends on where you live. Real estate prices in the cities here can get pretty ridiculous, pretty fast. What keeps costs down here though is there's a LOT more available land!
I have ties here that I'm trying to manage in order to move home. I really do like America BUT it is NOT home and it never will be. I'm tired of sitting on my sense of humour (as the rent boy said to the copper) for instance.
Bah! Enough of this grown up chat... NOBS!!!!!! ARSE!!!!!!!!! There. Now I feel better *g*
Reply
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