A question for Candadians and UK folks and the Universal Healthcare

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
I haven't checked your arithmetic but you have the principle right.

Each taxpayer files an individual form. Many with very simple incomes, such as a pension and nothing else, don't even have to do that. It can be filed on line now too.

Having ignored the odds and ends such as capital gains tax, that's it for normal income earners in the form of direct taxes. The UK also has VAT, recently increased to 17.5% for most purchases - again thanks to the bankers. here's another government website for you to get your teeth into:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/BeginnersGuideToTax/DG_4015895

 

[PineappleMama]

Cool... so roughly 21% for us and 17.5 on money spent...

Right now our sales tax, varies by city even, is 8%... no tax on grocery food, but shampoo or out to eat yes.

Mind you this is Texas... specifically. Other states DO tax bread and milk, but I don't live there so donno the percent.
Also other states have a state income tax on top of the federal income tax and/or sales tax too.
Texas doesn't have a state income tax... a major bonus IMHO.
But then maybe they balance that with property taxes? We rent so I donno those numbers.

As I may have mentioned... convoluted mess.

 

[Dunkopf]

You're not missing anything. America was once again bamboozled by big business.

 

[EweSheep]

My head is spinning from all the figures!

I thought too, Canadians have it better but I guess they have their own problems as much as we do.

I have Medicare and I am 45 disabled. Right now, hubby and dd has MedicAID thru me but now that has changed since hubby now has a full time job, 60 hours a week and have 80/20 BC/BS policy $70.00 a week and $10 taken out for dental benefits.....small price to pay but I would gladly pay with the $1500 family deductible now have to be met. Can we afford it, no, but it is better than nothing. With MedicAid, we paid NOTHING.

Rightnow with the changes from our state, MedicAid is not our carrier anymore but something like "Stepped Up" policy they have right now that are not eligible for All Kids Care, MedicAid but not enough for Medicare. I do not understand it at all, its the figures that confuses me so I would take it like we must pay the remaining 20% after BC/BS paid and go from there. I just have to take the time to read all that mumoo jumbo policitian lawyerise languages to be able to understand what Stepped Up would cover.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
That's why I'm glad that I'm on Medicare now. Used to, it was constant battles with insurance companies and paper after paper to try to figure/battle out who was supposed to pay. Never have had any problem at all with Medicare (Part A) during the seven years that I've been on it.
BUT, a couple of the SUPPLEMENTARY insurance companies (Part B) we've had have been nightmares to contact or reason with, and the Prescription Insurance (Part D ? not sure) often presumes it is more fitting to decide my medication than what my doctor is/was. Someone could die because of their self-serving policies.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
That's why I'm glad that I'm on Medicare now. Used to, it was constant battles with insurance companies and paper after paper to try to figure/battle out who was supposed to pay. Never have had any problem at all with Medicare (Part A) during the seven years that I've been on it.
BUT, a couple of the SUPPLEMENTARY insurance companies (Part B) we've had have been nightmares to contact or reason with, and the Prescription Insurance (Part D ? not sure) often presumes it is more fitting to decide my medication than what my doctor is/was. Someone could die because of their self-serving policies.

I hated that when they make the decision of their own rather than the doctor's best decision.

I was at the other end, worked for a health insurance company, I've denied thousands of claims simply because of their own agenda or eating in their profits. We would determined what is best for the patient by reading the notes and say ok, she does not need preventive health care but seh can go to surgery to remove the breast nodes.

Looking back, I could have PAID all of them because it was deemed medically necessary by their doctors. However the company thinks otherwise, only a RN nurse to read all the cases and if anyone in there higher up says, well, the doctor is trying to get more money out of this or that, we will deny it.

We did complain to our supervisor and upper management, they said that we have to do what they tell us to do and to protect their interests.

 

[EweSheep]

Does the Canadian healthcare do like we do here, what you can have and not have? Do they go ahead and pay whatever your doctor ordered or do they have a panel of so called doctors that never saw you, read your cases and decide what you can have or no go on that?

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
We pay way more taxes than Americans do. I don't even want to try to figure it out because I don't want to know, it would be depressing. So indirectly we pay for our "free" health-care system. It is a good deal for those who have frequent medical needs or long term health problems.
As for the wait lists, I think if a small user fee was implemented based on your income, the number of people waiting in the emergency room would drop. My friend works in the emergency room admitting and she said 50% of the people don't need emergency care, a local drop in Medical clinic would suffice. They are sprinkled through out most larger cities and they are free too if you are registered with your Province's Healthcare system.

For all the Canadian Health-care horror stories there are 10 times more stories of people who are satisfied with the system.
You can read what you choose to read, either the good or the bad. Just like with everything.

Most people look beyond what the Governments (yours and mine) are telling us because they have a agenda. They try to control our opinions/decisions with their information.

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
In my experience and those of my family and friends, if the doctor orders it, it gets done.

A collaboration comes into play if there is a serious operation such as a heart operation. Then all the specialists get together to figure out a game plan.

 

[swift4me]

I live in France and am covered by the most basic healthcare that ALL French citizens and residents get. Most purchase what is called a Mutuelle which enhances your coverage benefits. Mutuelles are private insurers, and are not mandatory. As for my wife and her 94 year old mother among all the realted family we have here, I think the system works well. We do not generally have the waits I've heard of in Canada, (I've hunted and fished alot in Alberta and BC, and have heard the stories), and drugs are very inexpensive.

The problem of course is, who pays for it? As the politics move further left and liberals and communists want to tax "the rich", the "rich" leave France. France is the only country in the free world with a "wealth tax". The system works, but will eventually not be financially sound, and there is little financial incentive to be a doctor here.

As for the US healthcare bill, I'll say what I said when Hillary Clinton tried it. As long as we keep private insurance companies, lawyers and high malpactice awards/premiums, and free market drug prices, (we pay for the R&D, and the world gets the product), there is no chance for a system that works.

Yes, we need to do something in America about healthcare, but the bill that was passed is sausage that nobody should have seen made. New agencies, undefined costs to employers, and funny thing... the insurance, legal and drug lobbies are all still happy after it passed. Figure that out.

Just my two cents.

Pete