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I take it back, I didn't know it was that bad in the US. I guess I only speak from my bubble as a single, low paid SW dev in the EU. Having kids that need expen

I take it back, I didn't know it was that bad in the US. I guess I only speak from my bubble as a single, low paid SW dev in the EU. Having kids that need expensive medical expenses is something I didn't think about, because one, I don't have kids, and two, it's normal here to have most critical medical expenses covered, although, even here I still have plenty out of pocket costs due to how thinly stretched the public health system is, so you get the care you need for free, IF you happen to be dying right NOW, otherwise it could mean suffering for months long waits and/or out of pocket fees. Still better than the US probably.

heyoni 3y ago
And I hate that the European system is being stretched thin because lawmakers here are now using it as an example for why socialized medicine is unsustainable :\
- ChuckNorris89 3y ago
  All systems are unsustainable if the money coming in, is less than the money going out, so the main problem is maths and economics, not private or public. While public care systems don't need to turn a profit, but they also can't run on a huge deficit because you can't have it bankrupt the state, you still need money for education, defense, infrastructure, etc. so while there's no pressure to turn a profit, there's a huge pressure to cut costs wherever possible, while at the same time a huge political pressure to keep the voters happy who want their cake and to eat it too. Both systems have their pros and cons but both can be made to work if managed right and have money or fail if managed poorly and run out of money. IIRC Singapore has a well thought out privately funded healthcare and safety net system.
  - heyoni 3y ago
    I’m on my phone or I’d link you to one of a slew of reports stating that the cost savings that come with universal healthcare. Let’s be real here, that philosophy of sustainability has no place in this discourse and can easily be rebutted with CBO reports from say, the Obamacare bill. The US government and by extension its citizens is angel investing a military complex at the tune of 1 trillion a year with no return. I’m not saying there aren’t any benefits to it but healthcare and other safety nets like food stamps are not only a drop in the bucket but yield very tangible long term benefits… You can’t put a price on having a healthy adult population. And for that your people need to eat during those crucial years (I’m going on a tangent here) and it helps if their teeth are rotting out of their mouths.

heyoni 3y ago

And I hate that the European system is being stretched thin because lawmakers here are now using it as an example for why socialized medicine is unsustainable :\

ChuckNorris89 3y ago
All systems are unsustainable if the money coming in, is less than the money going out, so the main problem is maths and economics, not private or public. While public care systems don't need to turn a profit, but they also can't run on a huge deficit because you can't have it bankrupt the state, you still need money for education, defense, infrastructure, etc. so while there's no pressure to turn a profit, there's a huge pressure to cut costs wherever possible, while at the same time a huge political pressure to keep the voters happy who want their cake and to eat it too. Both systems have their pros and cons but both can be made to work if managed right and have money or fail if managed poorly and run out of money. IIRC Singapore has a well thought out privately funded healthcare and safety net system.
- heyoni 3y ago
  I’m on my phone or I’d link you to one of a slew of reports stating that the cost savings that come with universal healthcare. Let’s be real here, that philosophy of sustainability has no place in this discourse and can easily be rebutted with CBO reports from say, the Obamacare bill. The US government and by extension its citizens is angel investing a military complex at the tune of 1 trillion a year with no return. I’m not saying there aren’t any benefits to it but healthcare and other safety nets like food stamps are not only a drop in the bucket but yield very tangible long term benefits… You can’t put a price on having a healthy adult population. And for that your people need to eat during those crucial years (I’m going on a tangent here) and it helps if their teeth are rotting out of their mouths.