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The tax rates are also substantially higher. I'm certainly not defending the atrocious health care system in the United States, but Australia's healthcare syste

The tax rates are also substantially higher. I'm certainly not defending the atrocious health care system in the United States, but Australia's healthcare system certainly doesn't come at zero cost.

developerDan 3y ago
Nobody expects it come without a cost. But I would sure as hell prefer paying roughly the same in taxes as what my premium is in order to not have to worry about leaving the doctor or hospital with a lifetime of debt.
sbenji 3y ago
Australian tax rates are not substantially higher than us tax rates.
- jimmyswimmy 3y ago
  Depends on your bracket I suppose. According to this [0], an individual $180k salary in AUS is taxed at about $58k. In USD would be about $44k. But... I pay $12k in health insurance, so they're reasonably close. I think AUD < USD though, so spending power is probably a lot different. Don't think you can do a real thorough comparison in an HN post. [0] https://www.trendingaccounting.com/2022/06/comparing-tax-rates-in-australia-and-us.html?m=1 https://www.trendingaccounting.com/2022/06/comparing-tax-rat...
  - esalman 3y ago
    A US person making 180k is taxed more than 58k if they live in CA. 24% federal, 9% CA, plus social security and Medicare. If they live in SF then there's also a local tax.
    - TOGoS 3y ago
      And they still need to worry about health insurance.
      - esalman 3y ago
        That's the difference between US and other countries. I make close to that amount and I'd still have to worry if insurance will cover 3 days hospital stay.
emodendroket 3y ago
Our taxes are certainly lower but I think a comparison of taxes + typical insurance premiums wouldn't look quite so stark.
TuringNYC 3y ago
>> The tax rates are also substantially higher. We here in the US also pay "tax" for healthcare, it just inst called tax. It is called {co-pay, co-insurance, deductible, balance bill, annual employee premium, annual employer premium} Lets not kid ourselves, we pay dearly in the US.
bandrami 3y ago
The US currently spends more public money per capita on healthcare than Australia. It's not a problem of lack of public money.
deleted 3y ago
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Accujack 3y ago
>Australia's healthcare system certainly doesn't come at zero cost It comes at a lower cost than what people in the US already pay. That's right... if we converted to public health care in the US, you would actually pay LESS money than you do now for health care.

The tax rates are also substantially higher. I'm certainly not defending the atrocious health care system in the United States, but Australia's healthcare system certainly doesn't come at zero cost.

developerDan 3y ago

Nobody expects it come without a cost. But I would sure as hell prefer paying roughly the same in taxes as what my premium is in order to not have to worry about leaving the doctor or hospital with a lifetime of debt.

sbenji 3y ago

Australian tax rates are not substantially higher than us tax rates.

jimmyswimmy 3y ago
Depends on your bracket I suppose. According to this [0], an individual $180k salary in AUS is taxed at about $58k. In USD would be about $44k. But... I pay $12k in health insurance, so they're reasonably close. I think AUD < USD though, so spending power is probably a lot different. Don't think you can do a real thorough comparison in an HN post. [0] https://www.trendingaccounting.com/2022/06/comparing-tax-rates-in-australia-and-us.html?m=1 https://www.trendingaccounting.com/2022/06/comparing-tax-rat...
- esalman 3y ago
  A US person making 180k is taxed more than 58k if they live in CA. 24% federal, 9% CA, plus social security and Medicare. If they live in SF then there's also a local tax.
  - TOGoS 3y ago
    And they still need to worry about health insurance.
    - esalman 3y ago
      That's the difference between US and other countries. I make close to that amount and I'd still have to worry if insurance will cover 3 days hospital stay.

emodendroket 3y ago

Our taxes are certainly lower but I think a comparison of taxes + typical insurance premiums wouldn't look quite so stark.

TuringNYC 3y ago

>> The tax rates are also substantially higher. We here in the US also pay "tax" for healthcare, it just inst called tax. It is called {co-pay, co-insurance, deductible, balance bill, annual employee premium, annual employer premium} Lets not kid ourselves, we pay dearly in the US.

bandrami 3y ago

The US currently spends more public money per capita on healthcare than Australia. It's not a problem of lack of public money.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

Accujack 3y ago

>Australia's healthcare system certainly doesn't come at zero cost It comes at a lower cost than what people in the US already pay. That's right... if we converted to public health care in the US, you would actually pay LESS money than you do now for health care.