I'm genuinely shocked how much health insurance costs in the US. I'm glad we just cover this through the state here. It works fine and I never have to pull out my wallet.
> I'm glad we just cover this through the state here.
You mean you cover this through your taxes. The state does not just literally or figuratively print money to pay for health care. In the US, over 40% of the population pays $0 income taxes, yet still has access to government provided healthcare via Medicaid.
In fact, when you combine Medicaid and Medicare, the US has the largest national healthcare system in the world - in terms of dollars spent and people covered.
yeah but I really really don't want to be dependent on my employer for health insurance. This means I'm pretty much blackmailed into staying there until I have something else lined up. And when I get fired it compounds the problems hugely.
> You mean you cover this through your taxes. The state does not just literally or figuratively print money to pay for health care. In the US, over 40% of the population pays $0 income taxes, yet still has access to government provided healthcare via Medicaid.
I know, it's my taxes. But that's fine. It's worth paying taxes for cheap healthcare for everyone. I want poor people to be healthy too. The good thing about it is that nobody has to worry about crazy bills. We spread the cost over everyone and that's great. There's no deductibles either. And we don't pay a fortune in taxes.
Also, the way the health system operates keeps it cheaper. The hospitals work together and they purchase together in bulk. General Practitioners have central offices in every neighbourhood with all standard treatment rooms so they are assigned one every day. They don't need to buy their own practice. They don't need to worry about running a business, doing accounting, finding suppliers.
It was especially ideal during covid when some of these centers were specifically assigned for covid patients and others for other things, reducing cross-contamination.
> In fact, when you combine Medicaid and Medicare, the US has the largest national healthcare system in the world - in terms of dollars spent and people covered.
But yet people can still be bankrupted if they get sick. This is the one thing that's avoided here.