3 ms·

That’s true, but how much of that extra money you get to keep in the long run is determined by the health lottery. If you end up having cancer for 5 years, you

by foldr 7y ago

That’s true, but how much of that extra money you get to keep in the long run is determined by the health lottery. If you end up having cancer for 5 years, you can kiss it all goodbye. But yes, one thing that's tough for Europeans who haven't lived in the US to comprehend is that Americans really do prefer being able to buy a bigger TV to having proper security when it comes to health care.

fuzz4lyfe 7y ago
If I lived in the London with the salaries they wanted to pay I'd be poor either way. It was enough to live in a tenement block. take public transport and eat cheap food. In the US I own a home, two cars, and support my entire family from just my salary. If I got cancer in the US I'd have be forced to live in a tenement block. take public transport and eat cheap food just like if I was "lucky" in the UK.
- foldr 7y ago
  I'm not sure exactly what you mean by a "tenement block", but a typical tech salary in New York or San Fransisco isn't going to be enough to live in a town house. If you're in a city, you're going to be in an apartment, and that apartment is probably going to be in a block of apartments. >If I got cancer in the US I'd have be forced to live in a tenement block. take public transport and eat cheap food just like if I was "lucky" in the UK. That's an interesting perspective on public transport. Public transport is a far more pleasant way to get around London than driving :) But, no, you could end up in a far worse situation than that in the US. Medical costs are very unpredictable and bear no relation to your wealth. You could easily end up bankrupt and unable to pay for vital medical treatment. I realize that most Americans like to live in complete denial of this fact, but it's inarguably true. Also, even taking what you say at face value, it's quite incredible that you're satisfied with this. Why should you have to take a massive hit in living standards just because you get sick?
  - fuzz4lyfe 7y ago
    >but a typical tech salary in New York or San Fransisco isn't going to be enough to live in a town house. That's true, but then I'd be talking about salaries that aren't double of what is offered in London but 5 or 6 fold higher. I own my home and support my wife and daughter by myself in a low crime suburban area in the US, that isn't possible anywhere I could find in the UK. Did I also mention I didn't go to college? >But, no, you could end up in a far worse situation than that in the US. Medical costs are very unpredictable and bear no relation to your wealth. You could easily end up bankrupt and unable to pay for vital medical treatment. When you get that sick you end up on socialized medicine, SSDI and medicaid cover those costs at that point. Also while you will receive medical bills you don't actually have to pay them while hospitals are not allowed to refuse you life saving treatment.
    - foldr 7y ago
      Tech salaries in NYC and SF aren't 5 or 6 times higher than tech salaries in London. >I own my home and support my wife and daughter by myself in a low crime suburban area in the US, that isn't possible anywhere I could find in the UK. I'm not sure what you're saying at this point. I grew up in a low crime suburban area in the UK. My Dad worked, my mom stayed at home. They owned the house. My Dad works as a programmer. >When you get that sick you end up on socialized medicine, SSDI and medicaid cover those costs at that point. Erm, no. You will not likely meet the eligibility requirements for medicaid. That's just wishful thinking. If that's how the system worked, medical bankruptcies wouldn't happen. >Also while you will receive medical bills you don't actually have to pay them while hospitals are not allowed to refuse you life saving treatment. They're not allowed to refuse you life-saving emergency treatment. They sure can refuse to give you chemo, refuse to give you reconstructive surgery if you've been badly burned, etc. etc. It's astonishing how unaware you are of how the health system works your own country. America has a lot of work to do on this issue. You really could suddenly end up with a $500,000 medical bill. It's tough to face up to that fact, but it is a fact. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/first-kidney-failure-then-540-842-bill-dialysis-n1034496 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/first-kidney-fail...
      - fuzz4lyfe 7y ago
copenja 7y ago
Most employer sponsored healthcare plans in the US have a maximum out of pocket the patient can be charged per year. The average cost for someone with cancer and an employer sponsored plan in the US is around $6000 per year. That's $500 a month. https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/how-much-you-can-really-expect-to-pay-for-treatment-if-you-get-cancer.html/ https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/how-much-you-can-r... Both my parents had cancer and survived in US, so I do know from first hand experience. They did not get ruined financially. That said, I do support healthcare for all in the US.
- foldr 7y ago
  >Most employer sponsored healthcare plans in the US have a maximum out of pocket the patient can be charged per year. Yeah, but that's irrelevant if you have to use an out of network provider in an emergency situation, or if you need a treatment that your insurance provider refuses to cover.
  - AstralStorm 7y ago
    The lack of global insurance policy for actual emergencies is a crime of this insurance system you have in the US. This is where the government is supposed to step in. Nobody is in any position to predict where they will be taken for emergency care, and copays for random amounts is essentially ransom.

by foldr 7y ago

fuzz4lyfe 7y ago

If I lived in the London with the salaries they wanted to pay I'd be poor either way. It was enough to live in a tenement block. take public transport and eat cheap food. In the US I own a home, two cars, and support my entire family from just my salary. If I got cancer in the US I'd have be forced to live in a tenement block. take public transport and eat cheap food just like if I was "lucky" in the UK.

foldr 7y ago
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by a "tenement block", but a typical tech salary in New York or San Fransisco isn't going to be enough to live in a town house. If you're in a city, you're going to be in an apartment, and that apartment is probably going to be in a block of apartments. >If I got cancer in the US I'd have be forced to live in a tenement block. take public transport and eat cheap food just like if I was "lucky" in the UK. That's an interesting perspective on public transport. Public transport is a far more pleasant way to get around London than driving :) But, no, you could end up in a far worse situation than that in the US. Medical costs are very unpredictable and bear no relation to your wealth. You could easily end up bankrupt and unable to pay for vital medical treatment. I realize that most Americans like to live in complete denial of this fact, but it's inarguably true. Also, even taking what you say at face value, it's quite incredible that you're satisfied with this. Why should you have to take a massive hit in living standards just because you get sick?
- fuzz4lyfe 7y ago
  >but a typical tech salary in New York or San Fransisco isn't going to be enough to live in a town house. That's true, but then I'd be talking about salaries that aren't double of what is offered in London but 5 or 6 fold higher. I own my home and support my wife and daughter by myself in a low crime suburban area in the US, that isn't possible anywhere I could find in the UK. Did I also mention I didn't go to college? >But, no, you could end up in a far worse situation than that in the US. Medical costs are very unpredictable and bear no relation to your wealth. You could easily end up bankrupt and unable to pay for vital medical treatment. When you get that sick you end up on socialized medicine, SSDI and medicaid cover those costs at that point. Also while you will receive medical bills you don't actually have to pay them while hospitals are not allowed to refuse you life saving treatment.
  - foldr 7y ago
    Tech salaries in NYC and SF aren't 5 or 6 times higher than tech salaries in London. >I own my home and support my wife and daughter by myself in a low crime suburban area in the US, that isn't possible anywhere I could find in the UK. I'm not sure what you're saying at this point. I grew up in a low crime suburban area in the UK. My Dad worked, my mom stayed at home. They owned the house. My Dad works as a programmer. >When you get that sick you end up on socialized medicine, SSDI and medicaid cover those costs at that point. Erm, no. You will not likely meet the eligibility requirements for medicaid. That's just wishful thinking. If that's how the system worked, medical bankruptcies wouldn't happen. >Also while you will receive medical bills you don't actually have to pay them while hospitals are not allowed to refuse you life saving treatment. They're not allowed to refuse you life-saving emergency treatment. They sure can refuse to give you chemo, refuse to give you reconstructive surgery if you've been badly burned, etc. etc. It's astonishing how unaware you are of how the health system works your own country. America has a lot of work to do on this issue. You really could suddenly end up with a $500,000 medical bill. It's tough to face up to that fact, but it is a fact. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/first-kidney-failure-then-540-842-bill-dialysis-n1034496 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/first-kidney-fail...
    - fuzz4lyfe 7y ago

copenja 7y ago

Most employer sponsored healthcare plans in the US have a maximum out of pocket the patient can be charged per year. The average cost for someone with cancer and an employer sponsored plan in the US is around $6000 per year. That's $500 a month. https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/how-much-you-can-really-expect-to-pay-for-treatment-if-you-get-cancer.html/ https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/how-much-you-can-r... Both my parents had cancer and survived in US, so I do know from first hand experience. They did not get ruined financially. That said, I do support healthcare for all in the US.

foldr 7y ago
>Most employer sponsored healthcare plans in the US have a maximum out of pocket the patient can be charged per year. Yeah, but that's irrelevant if you have to use an out of network provider in an emergency situation, or if you need a treatment that your insurance provider refuses to cover.
- AstralStorm 7y ago
  The lack of global insurance policy for actual emergencies is a crime of this insurance system you have in the US. This is where the government is supposed to step in. Nobody is in any position to predict where they will be taken for emergency care, and copays for random amounts is essentially ransom.