Supreme Court & Obamacare ruling...

Yeah, and I had 2 MRI's, ~10 doctors visits, a major biopsy (overnight in the hospital), major surgery with 23 days in the hospital 14+ in ICU, oxygen 24/7 for 6 months, heart stint implanted, and probably many I am missing. My cost was $6,000 and the tax payers paid absolutely nothing. And that was just in one year.

 

I suppose your health insurance paid for most of it, how much do you pay in insurance a month if you don't mind saying?

 

UK Tax rates 2012/2013
the first £8105 $12682 is tax free
£8106 $12683 to £34370 $53779 is taxed at 20%
£34371 $53780 to £150000 $234708 is taxed at 40%
over £150000 $234708 is taxed at 50%

UK National Insurance rates 2012/2013
the first £5564 $8706 is tax free
£5565 $8708 to £42484 $66476 is taxed at 12%
Anything above that is taxed at 2%
The average US salary in 2010 according to ssa.org was £26633 $41673
So the tax you would pay here in the UK is
£6233.88 $9754.28 a year or £519.49 $805.82 a month this covers all health care costs as well as all the other things you pay tax for.
This is just a rough calculation but it shows roughly what you would pay in the UK.
£519.49 or $805.82 a month. Which if you take what taxes you pay and the cost of health insurance and then add on the $500 a month all that treatment you had works out at then from a personal point of view just how much extra would our system cost you?

 

It was about $750 per month.

 

So that is $750 + tax plus the $500 a month

 

Actually, no. First, I forgot, that was for me and my wife. Second, medical costs are mostly not taxed here plus they and medical insurance costs are tax deductible. Since my wife went through almost as much, my tax rate that year was negligible. So it winds up being $375 - tax deductions plus the $500 a month - more tax deductions.

 

Plus you have choices in where you are treated & by whom...which is the first bit of freedom you lose under Obamcare.

 

I didn't mean tax on the insurance cost I meant tax on your wage. But of course I was forgetting you don't have PAYE so your wages aren't taxed before you see them right?

 

Not too sure I really had a choice. I believe he was the only one capable in a hospital that specialized in such. On the other hand, my guess is that in England, I would be dead. My guess is that I was a couple month from reaching the point of no return.

 

Yes, my wages (well, income) is taxed before I see them, but it is then refunded. And that particular item is tax mostly exempt (or more specifically, tax deductible, but that is the same less the paper work).

 

And why pray tell would you be dead in England? We do have specialised hospitals here you know.

 

Because the average wait time for a cat-scan in UK is 1 - 3 months. I have no idea what the average time is to see a specialist (and I don't mean the surgeon), but I had 2 CT's and a scheduled biopsy within 2 weeks. And neither I nor my wife had that long.

 

RLM, I'm glad you and your wife received prompt care. No offense to the health care system in the UK is intended, Vladd, but we hear horror stories here in the US about the long wait times your citizens sometimes endure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/h...-have-doubled-since-NHS-targets-scrapped.html

 

Mostly put about by people who seem happy to charge you over the top for your treatment. You have your propaganda stories i guess we have ours. When it comes to health care I guess the UK and US will never see eye to eye.

 

I heard a stat about the Canadian system. I know it is not the UK, but at least very similar. I am sure the numbers are not exact, but they show the trend intended. Something like 55% of the Canadians liked the medical system, but only about 5% of those who have had a serious illness still liked it. Even the Minister of Quebec chose the American medical system for his treatment.

 

Let me say here......I know Rlm and he comes across as a tiger on these boards, but this is the kindest, good hearted man on the planet. We shared a trip to the Long Beach coin show together once, and both being conservative, we got along well.
Most folks here do not understand the trauma this man and his family went thru. I do. Without America and it's excellent health care system, he would not be around to comment here anymore.
Tell you what, I , for one, am glad he is here and under the good care that America provides.

 

Hey, man. I appreciate the support!

 

I found an online UK tax calculator and it looks like, at my income, I would pay about $18278 USD in taxes in the UK (Income and NI). I paid $3514 USD in the US. And I am only in the top 33% in income so we aren't exactly talking filthy rich.

You can have whatever social programs your country wants, just don't believe you aren't paying plenty for them. TANSTAAFL.

And the UK is no different than here in the US. The government is not really paying for it all and neither are you. The can is just being kicked down the road. Eventually all that debt from all these programs will come due. It will happen in (most of) our lifetimes.

 

What people don't seem to understand is that healthcare isn't free. Just as Food Stamps aren't free. "Free" housing isn't free. Socialized medicine is just a stepping stone (albeit a very BIG stepping stone) to a socialist state.

 

Yes, I thought he claimed to be above all that dramatic nonsense when I posted my farewell and declared me a hypocrite for doing so. I hope he has the dignity to stand by what he said--just so I can come back for a little while. I've missed you guys and things look to be getting interesting in the political arena over the next few months. I hate not having anyone to talk to about the topic.