7 ms·

> In fact, young people in general would have to get the same price as everyone else? I really enjoy the fact that young people pay for car "insurance" more be

> In fact, young people in general would have to get the same price as everyone else? I really enjoy the fact that young people pay for car "insurance" more because of their increased risk at driving, but old people don't pay for health "insurance" more (if they pay at all) because of their increased risk at getting ill. Because one of those would be totally unfair while the other one is totally OK. You understand which one is which, right? It is basically youth serfdom.

andrewaylett 9y ago
Here in the UK, if you elect to get private health cover in addition to the NHS-provided general care, older people do pay more.
- ZeroGravitas 9y ago
  I think they pay more in the US as well? I thought the aspect of ACA limits how much more they have to pay (and the Republican drafts had similar rules, but allowed a greater differential). The reasoning being, over your lifetime you pay a bit more when young, which acts as a virtual savings account for when your older and need more care. If you relied on people saving, they wouldn't and you'd have old people dying in the streets. Similar logic applies to enforcing pension savings.
  - thriftwy 9y ago
    But it's not savings it's redistribution, i.e. extortion. Young generation is guaranteed nothing for their contribution. It could only be sound if population is to grow organically and indefinitely, which will obviously be unsustainable either.
    - ZeroGravitas 9y ago
      The society getting richer is probably the defining property that makes it sustainable, not the number of bodies in it.
      - thriftwy 9y ago
        Unfortunately that's not how modern economy works. And we don't know how to make it work that way. Modern economy works in this way: you give up ~40% of your income, which is then redistributed between retirees. Infrastructure and all other kinds of social programs also take their cut. This works when there's two workers for every retired person If there would be as many retirees as workers, you will end up giving 80% of your income. But it is totally unsustainable. Imagine that you pay $10 for a coffee, and the barista only gets $2 towards his account, post-tax. She won't be able to make decent living. You strangle life out of economy and make it go to grey zone. Yes we may be able to produce endless amount of wealth, but we are not able to make this sheet balance itself. There's just 100 of percents and they don't make those anymore.
tzs 9y ago
> I really enjoy the fact that young people pay for car "insurance" more because of their increased risk at driving, but old people don't pay for health "insurance" more (if they pay at all) because of their increased risk at getting ill My health plan, purchased through my state's ACA exchange in the US, costs me as a 57 year old 2.71x what it would have cost a 23 year old purchasing the exact same plan. I would happily take a 23 year old's car insurance premiums if I could get a 23 year old's health insurance premiums in exchange.
TheCoelacanth 9y ago
> old people don't pay for health "insurance" more They do in fact pay much more for health insurance. US law does now limit how large of a difference there can be to lower than the natural amount, though, so young people are subsidizing older people's health insurance.

andrewaylett 9y ago

Here in the UK, if you elect to get private health cover in addition to the NHS-provided general care, older people do pay more.

ZeroGravitas 9y ago
I think they pay more in the US as well? I thought the aspect of ACA limits how much more they have to pay (and the Republican drafts had similar rules, but allowed a greater differential). The reasoning being, over your lifetime you pay a bit more when young, which acts as a virtual savings account for when your older and need more care. If you relied on people saving, they wouldn't and you'd have old people dying in the streets. Similar logic applies to enforcing pension savings.
- thriftwy 9y ago
  But it's not savings it's redistribution, i.e. extortion. Young generation is guaranteed nothing for their contribution. It could only be sound if population is to grow organically and indefinitely, which will obviously be unsustainable either.
  - ZeroGravitas 9y ago
    The society getting richer is probably the defining property that makes it sustainable, not the number of bodies in it.
    - thriftwy 9y ago
      Unfortunately that's not how modern economy works. And we don't know how to make it work that way. Modern economy works in this way: you give up ~40% of your income, which is then redistributed between retirees. Infrastructure and all other kinds of social programs also take their cut. This works when there's two workers for every retired person If there would be as many retirees as workers, you will end up giving 80% of your income. But it is totally unsustainable. Imagine that you pay $10 for a coffee, and the barista only gets $2 towards his account, post-tax. She won't be able to make decent living. You strangle life out of economy and make it go to grey zone. Yes we may be able to produce endless amount of wealth, but we are not able to make this sheet balance itself. There's just 100 of percents and they don't make those anymore.

tzs 9y ago

> I really enjoy the fact that young people pay for car "insurance" more because of their increased risk at driving, but old people don't pay for health "insurance" more (if they pay at all) because of their increased risk at getting ill My health plan, purchased through my state's ACA exchange in the US, costs me as a 57 year old 2.71x what it would have cost a 23 year old purchasing the exact same plan. I would happily take a 23 year old's car insurance premiums if I could get a 23 year old's health insurance premiums in exchange.

TheCoelacanth 9y ago

> old people don't pay for health "insurance" more They do in fact pay much more for health insurance. US law does now limit how large of a difference there can be to lower than the natural amount, though, so young people are subsidizing older people's health insurance.