gftChris Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 If you don't mind me asking. I'm curious is all. Bernie Sanders is all in on a single payer system, which I think is fairer, but I'm just wondering. I'm above average in national wages (work in London and there's a pretty decent chance of that regardless), and I pay around £4k in 'national insurance' which goes to the NHS, social security and things like that. My employer also contributes around £6k. If I were earning the national average, about £26k, it would be more like £2k and £2k. How much do you pay, in total for you and any dependents, in medical insurance? And how much on top of that for medicine and voluntary excess? Any doctor-prescribed medication here costs £8. Doesn't matter what it is. Of course, that excludes things you can self-prescribe like paracetamol, ibuprofen, couch medicine things like that. How does that compare with you guys? Does it vary state to state? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 I pay close to 760 US dollars every month. I think my deductible is 4000 or six thousand? As far as I know it's like an 80, 20 plan with a copay. Prescriptions are not free but they are discounted through my insurance. That being said tomorrow I go to see one of the top retinologists in the world. Today I walked into the lab with my prescription for blood work and walked out in under an hour without an appointment. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clevfan4life Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 holy shit west side you pay out the ass for insurance. Man I hope it's good shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbedward Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 $36.92/mo for health - but it's a HSA plan (because I'm young and healthy). HSA basically means you contribute to a special savings account to cover the gross amount of deductibles for everything. The HSA account is yours though forever - all contributions and withdrawals are tax-free (if you withdrawal for medical expenses), it rolls over every year, and my company contributes to it too. If I wanted a better "Gold PPO" plan or an HMO it'd cost me something like $112-130/mo. Those are low copay/low deductible plans. I'll probably switch over to when I'm older and sicker. $10.62/mo for dental $5/mo for vision So $630.48/year Employer cost is about $240/mo for the health and $18/mo for the dental. (nothing for the vision) Upgrading to insurance plan to a more primo package comes to around ~$1300/year for my costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 So loosely speaking you pay less than we do if you're fit and healthy, but more if you're old and decrepit like Steve? Which seems logical in terms of insurance. Do you have to undergo a physical or something for the insurance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbedward Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 So loosely speaking you pay less than we do if you're fit and healthy, but more if you're old and decrepit like Steve? Which seems logical in terms of insurance. Do you have to undergo a physical or something for the insurance? Fit and healthy really has nothing to do with it (in my case) - I'm just not concerned about having the best coverage because I've been pretty healthy and I'm young - would rather save up the money. And I'd pay a shit ton also if my employer didn't pay the majority of the expenses, though not as much as steve is paying. Probably ballpark of $4000/year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 OK that's more in line with what I was thinking. In previous comparisons, what brits and americans pay comes out about the same, but for brits if you earn a little more you pay a little more and vice versa, and it's not linked to your health, and the level of coverage isn't the same. I was reading this article the other day which got me thinking on the subject as well http://uk.businessinsider.com/an-american-uses-britain-nhs-2015-1?r=US&IR=T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 I pay around 300 for a family of 4. Soon 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Yeah weve thrown out pre-existing conditions or permitting discounts for for fitness which is probably not a great idea. I mean if they would cut you a break for losing weight or exercising that might prompt more people to do it. But hey equality equality equality... WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 To me 300 a month isn't affordable enough. I'd prefer socialized medicine in this instance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbedward Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Yeah weve thrown out pre-existing conditions or permitting discounts for for fitness which is probably not a great idea. I mean if they would cut you a break for losing weight or exercising that might prompt more people to do it. But hey equality equality equality... WSS . On our plans they're a little cheaper if you're not a tobacco user. Though I'm not sure how they'd ever find out if you ticked "I am not a tobacco user" when they hire you. Doesn't matter otherwise if you're fat or have pre-existing conditions, same price for everybody. And I'm a loner on my plan, so price would be higher if I had dependents. With the HSAs they contribute double to it though (I think $400/year single - $800/year if you have dependents) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Btw, you can still get private health care here, and most big companies offer it as a perk. As part of it you get reduced rates on gym membership and things like that - they figure if you use the gym you're less likely to claim for things, especially chronic things. You also get similar things like discounted 'quit smoking' packs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbedward Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Btw, you can still get private health care here, and most big companies offer it as a perk. As part of it you get reduced rates on gym membership and things like that - they figure if you use the gym you're less likely to claim for things, especially chronic things. You also get similar things like discounted 'quit smoking' packs. We have all that stuff - huge workout facility in building, free quit smoking programs, weight watchers, weight loss classes. Probably reduces overall cost for the company - but it doesn't matter if I'm 120 pounds or 600 pounds and a diabetic my cost would be the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 We have all that stuff - huge workout facility in building, free quit smoking programs, weight watchers, weight loss classes. Probably reduces overall cost for the company - but it doesn't matter if I'm 120 pounds or 600 pounds and a diabetic my cost would be the same. You'll have lower risk at 120lb and much fewer side effects and complications though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Used to pay 860 a month to be on Wife's med insurance, which is outstanding. But now, Medicare and supplemental... 227. Benefit of retiring ! and instead of 80/20, it's 100%. Right on time for the new knee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Zero dollars for myself at the VA, free prescriptions also since I have service connected disability. Wife is zero also with Tricare, with copays for medicine, doctor visitis and treatments, etc. Catastrophic max I believe is $3,500 per year total for copays/etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaconHound Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Nothing, my employer I believe pays around $300 a month for my single coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Post Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 I pay weekly out of my pay. It's too much is how much. Lucky for me I have it tho because I have health issues. Anyone of you patsies would file for disability but not me I work. I would wither away to nothing with nothing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blowe Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 The University of Cincinnati requires all students to have health insurance be it through obamacare, parents, or if neither of those you can purchase it through the school. I purchased it through the school and it costs me around 1100 per semester, 2200 per year, and I am 100% healthy as far as I or any doctors know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LogicIsForSquares Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Zero dollars for myself at the VA, free prescriptions also since I have service connected disability. Wife is zero also with Tricare, with copays for medicine, doctor visitis and treatments, etc. Catastrophic max I believe is $3,500 per year total for copays/etc. Diehard, does your lady still have duel citizenship? Didn't know if she was actually able to seek care in Japan if something goes wonky with her insurance here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Diehard, does your lady still have duel citizenship? Didn't know if she was actually able to seek care in Japan if something goes wonky with her insurance here. Japan and the USA do not have dual citizenship. When she was naturalized a US citizen she had to turn in her green card. She also has to go to the Japanese consulate in Detroit to renounce her Japanese Citizenship, which she still hasn't done because I don't feel like driving to Detroit yet. To travel to Japan she would have to use her US Passport because if she used her Japanese Passport, she would need a green card to re-enter the US. But I guess she could still get away with it since once she got to Japan they wouldn't know she was a US Citizen at the local hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 By the way my insurance went up a little over $100 a month recently. Figures I stated are current, it was less before. Obamacare hasn't done me any favors. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Sounds like a single payer system would be much better for you though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Sounds like a single payer system would be much better for you though...For me? Quite possibly. But I'm not positive. One thing I have is called ocular histoplasmosis syndrome sounds creepy but its a retina problem. I know how the system works in Canada and this is one of those things that if I notice a change I can go see my retinologist within hours or I'd be fucked. On a side note I just saw my physician yesterday who wants me to start taking invokana. I haven't talked to my medical insurance prescription provider yet but it could cost up to $6.50 a day. There's probably some kind of discount through the insurance, I just don't know right now. But it made me wonder if government removes the profit incentive would things like invokana still make their way to market? WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 PS in the past week I had a blood test on Tuesday and a physicians appointment on Thursday. He had the results and sent me for another blood test that Thursday the results of which came back within an hour. Wednesday I saw my retinologist. Doctor visit copay is 25 bucks specialist copay is 50 bucks on top of which I'm sure there will be extra fee and extra for the blood tests. Last time my portion was $148. Chris you said that you do pay something for health care right? Is that just in the form of a tax or is it a fee? And would it be more if you were 63 instead of 18? WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Chris you said that you do pay something for health care right? Is that just in the form of a tax or is it a fee? And would it be more if you were 63 instead of 18? WSS It's called National Insurance, and it covers a wide range of things from health care to social welfare to whatever else. It's difficult to pin down how much exactly is spent on health. It's a tax of around 12%, above the tax-free threshold, so for the average(ish) salary of about £26k, the NI contribution is around £2k. If you earn £50k it's closer to £4k. It's done on salary, not age. If you're retired, or otherwise not earning, you don't pay NI, so healthcare is truly free. There are other exemptions that are based on other things, such as if you're self-employed you pay less (to promote entrepreneurship). For check ups, vaccinations, treatment, anything like that you pay nothing, either on the day or later. You pay for prescriptions, £8 flat fee, regardless of how much the drug actually cost. If it is available over the counter, such as paracetamol, aspirin, cough medicine or whatever, you pay the over the counter price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 I can't really compare things like bloodwork, as I've never had it done. What I will say about the treatment is this - people complain about waiting times, but they're not so bad. In worst cases, you might be in a waiting room at the A&E (ER) for 4 or 5 hours. But, if that is the case, it's because you're not in real danger. When you go to A&E you're seen by a triage nurse who assesses your injuries and privately assigns you a priority. If you're high priority - head trauma, bleeding profusely, heart attack, you get seen pretty much straight away. If you have the sniffles, be prepared to wait. It's not first come first serve, and that's a good thing. It also discourages people from going to the hospital over minor things. If you break a finger, for example, going to the hospital achieves little, and takes hours out of your day. All they'll do is x-ray, say "yes it's broken" or "no it's just sprained" and "strap it up, you'll be fine" and so people tend to just strap it up themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbedward Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 The next step in US healthcare is to get Medicare to negotiate drug prices to keep them down. Something nobody except Sanders, Clinton, and Trump... support. It'll take forever to get a single payer system but with some baby steps we'll get there - I think it's inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 That makes sense. If I had a broken finger however as a guitar player I want to make sure it was set nicely. Ironically that's why I like the idea that everybody pay at least something since I know people on Medicaid that drag their fat stupid lazy kids to the doctor with every perceived ailment. Seems like it gives purpose to their lives. Triage and waiting a few hours would probably cut down on that crap. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted January 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 That makes sense. If I had a broken finger however as a guitar player I want to make sure it was set nicely. Ironically that's why I like the idea that everybody pay at least something since I know people on Medicaid that drag their fat stupid lazy kids to the doctor with every perceived ailment. Seems like it gives purpose to their lives. Triage and waiting a few hours would probably cut down on that crap. WSS If it's a clean break, you'll get it set properly and need to go to the doctor for that. If it's a fracture, you're probably fine to do it yourself - judgement call, based on whether your finger is still all pointing in the same direction It's not without a little risk though - a few years ago, I broke my finger playing soccer. In fact, not even playing, just warming up, I caught the ball, and broke my finger. Figured it was just a standard fracture and it would heal, so I just strapped it up. After a few weeks it still wasn't right and so I went to the 'Urgent Care Centre' - like A&E but for slightly less urgent things, halfway between full A&E and your local doctor - where I waited a few hours and after it was x-rayed, turns out that yes it was broken, but the break was at the proximal tip of the distal phalanx, where the tendon was attached - explains why I still couldn't move the tip of my finger up! So, I got it properly set, but it had started to heal in slightly the wrong place, so now I have a little bump there. No loss of motion though (yet, I'll see in 30 years). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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