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In Sweden, you pay taxes for healthcare and everyone receives healthcare. In the USA, you pay taxes for healthcare, but only the old and the poor receive that
by swebs 7y ago
In Sweden, you pay taxes for healthcare and everyone receives healthcare.
In the USA, you pay taxes for healthcare, but only the old and the poor receive that tax funded healthcare. So the average taxpayer has to buy their own health insurance in addition.
The linked chart also shows a clear correlation with Purchasing Power Parity, which also should be accounted for.
- afarrell 7y ago> only the old and the poor Also government employees, and those under the care of the VA. > Purchasing Power Parity, which also should be accounted for. Yes, I agree. To illustrate with a simplified example: Imagine nation A has median wage of $20k and nation B has median wage of $40k. Also imagine that their income distribution is the same. Then, if healthcare costs in nation B are twice as high, healthcare is equally as affordable.
- adventskalender 7y ago" So the average taxpayer has to buy their own health insurance in addition." How the money is collected is pretty irrelevant (indirectly via taxes or directly by the insurance company or physician). What matters is the overall cost.
- pnutjam 7y agoDon't forget profit, and the incentive for insurance companies to care less about what they pay and probably prefer higher prices.
- adventskalender 7y agoWhy would insurance companies prefer higher prices?
- pnutjam 7y agoTheir profit is capped at a percentage of payouts. Pay more keep more profits (after raising rates).
- afarrell 7y agoIt is relevant due to the complexity and uncertainty imposed. When I lived in the US, I didn't have a way of learning how much an interaction with a medical system would cost me. Now that I live in the UK, I do.