Fleppensteijn@feddit.nl 4 months ago
One thing that’s different out that there is no such thing as not being able to pay for health insurance. You are required by law to be insured. This also means the government mostly covers it for you if you can’t.
You may have to pay out of pocket for the first few hundred euros when something happens, but insurance covers the rest. There’s no way a person’s life savings would disappear overnight because of a medical issue. I’d rather die than pay what I sacrificed 30+ years to save up for.
KevonLooney@lemm.ee 4 months ago
That’s similar to how it works in Democratic states in the US. It’s more expensive, but there’s no such thing as “not being able to afford insurance”. It’s required by law and subsidies make the premiums low for poor people. Although you may not have a huge choice in doctors, you will get medical care.
If anyone from the US complains, that they “can’t afford insurance” ask them where they live. I guarantee that state is run by Republicans.
misanthropy@lemm.ee 4 months ago
I make between 60-100k a year, (sorry, I know that’s a wide range, but I rather not be specific) and I can’t afford insurance worth having. The only plans without a 10k out of my pocket before they cover anything at all started at $450/ month. I ended up with a plan that covers nothing until I spend like 5 grand out of pocket. Just shy of $300/mo.
But, I live in a red state, so maybe you’re not wrong. Private Insurance for healthcare is still an assinine idea in general high.
AA5B@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Do they offer a Health Savings Account? These high deductible plans should normally be paired with an HSA, and together they make a more reasonable choice.
The be actually been wanting to switch because I think I would save money. I have a more traditional plan right now and it’s very expensive but covers my family for most things, with a minor copay. For the same cost to me, I could get both a high deductible insurance plan and fund an HSA sufficiently to cover that high deductible. In years we use it all, it break even. However if we don’t use the full HSA, it builds toward future costs
ThanksForAllTheFish@sh.itjust.works 4 months ago
This is wild, in the UK, if you were in an accident and needed years of surgeries, it will always be free. The cost of parking to visit the hospital will be the most expensive thing anyone ever gets billed for, and that will be around 10 dollars a day. We do pay income tax, but lower income earners pay less or none. Theres also sales taxes, and things like sugar, alcohol and nicotine are taxed quite highly as they can contribute to health problems. But it’s all well worth it to never worry about medical costs. www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates gov.uk/…/sugar-tax-revenue-helps-tackle-childhood… www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/alcohol-tobacco
Snekeyes@lemmy.world 4 months ago
You can afford insurance and still go bankrupt.
“Medical expenses directly cause 66.5% of bankruptcies, making it the leading cause for bankruptcy. Additionally, medical problems that lead to work loss cause 44% of bankruptcies”
Blue state cab be better…
But these stats are concerning. More herehttps://retireguide.com/…/medical-bankruptcy-….