Josh wrote:Goodness. In Australia having a baby is free.
Let's take the case of a person earning $40k US per year. In the US, that person would pay federal income tax of $3170 US, plus 12% of each additional US$, if single; less if married. In Australia, that person would pay income tax of $7005 US, plus 23% of each additional US$. The numbers will change slightly depending on the exchange rate.
If you have a baby every other year, it comes out about the same. Otherwise the Australians are paying a lot more for their free babies.
Or for something. Yes, I'm sure that's oversimplified.
Correct. For your cost basis start with what you pay for an employer sponsored plan, add to that what your employer is paying, and add Medicare tax to that. Factor in deductibles and copays as well. You will find we pay somewhere near twice as much.
J.M.:
Correct. For your cost basis start with what you pay for an employer sponsored plan, add to that what your employer is paying, and add Medicare tax to that. Factor in deductibles and copays as well.
You will find we pay somewhere near twice as much.
J.M.
sorry. i’m thrown by “we” again.
are you from Australia?
0 x
Most or all of this drama, humiliation, wasted taxpayer money could be spared -
with even modest attempt at presenting balanced facts from the start.
Josh wrote:Goodness. In Australia having a baby is free.
Let's take the case of a person earning $40k US per year. In the US, that person would pay federal income tax of $3170 US, plus 12% of each additional US$, if single; less if married. In Australia, that person would pay income tax of $7005 US, plus 23% of each additional US$. The numbers will change slightly depending on the exchange rate.
If you have a baby every other year, it comes out about the same. Otherwise the Australians are paying a lot more for their free babies.
Or for something. Yes, I'm sure that's oversimplified.
Well, then I’m glad to see RZehr can pay for his baby with all his tax savings.
I wonder if electro-wiz’s tax savings added up to $160k (or $600k). Incidentally, in Australia you can reduce your tax rate by 1% by having private health insurance. Overall, the decision was made that depriving poor people, deranged people, and people who make bad financial decisions from access to health care is not a good idea.
Strangely enough, in America we’ve decided that if you are poor enough and a bad enough financial manager, we’re going to double down on your misery by making sure you can’t access health care or psychiatric care - until, of course, you become a public burden. And that gets pretty expensive, which is why the majority of American health care costs are covered by government programmes with no cost to the patient (Medicare, Medicaid, and VA, amongst other programmes).
Medicare is not free. i struggle to pay for it everyday.
the premiums, the copays, deductibles, the coverage gap. it’s a lot!
thankfully, i am not bothered with a lot of jealousy, but, i admit, after struggling with Medicare costs for a few years now, it’s hard for me not to resent Medicaid. i have just enough to not qualify for any gov subsidies, food stamps, etc., which results in my net standard of living being below those who do!
i know this is a widespread problem for folks like me.
0 x
Most or all of this drama, humiliation, wasted taxpayer money could be spared -
with even modest attempt at presenting balanced facts from the start.
At one time our area was plentiful with mid-wives who would deliver at home... some wouldn't deliver at home if it was your first child, or twins. Our oldest child was supposed to be born at home, but the mid-wife didn't like something at the last minute and we went to a hospital that was within her network. That bill was $4000 back in the late 90's. I remember making payments for a while as we just bought our first house.
Hershey Medical Center will knock a quick 30% or more off if you self pay. Other local hospitals started doing the same as they lost business to the self-pay community.
0 x
I self-identify as a conspiracy theorist. My pronouns are told/you/so.
Josh wrote:Goodness. In Australia having a baby is free.
Let's take the case of a person earning $40k US per year. In the US, that person would pay federal income tax of $3170 US, plus 12% of each additional US$, if single; less if married. In Australia, that person would pay income tax of $7005 US, plus 23% of each additional US$. The numbers will change slightly depending on the exchange rate.
If you have a baby every other year, it comes out about the same. Otherwise the Australians are paying a lot more for their free babies.
Or for something. Yes, I'm sure that's oversimplified.
Correct. For your cost basis start with what you pay for an employer sponsored plan, add to that what your employer is paying, and add Medicare tax to that. Factor in deductibles and copays as well. You will find we pay somewhere near twice as much.
J.M.
I thought OJ was implying that the $8,000 cost was self pay. If so, all those other costs wouldn't be relevant.
J.M.:
Correct. For your cost basis start with what you pay for an employer sponsored plan, add to that what your employer is paying, and add Medicare tax to that. Factor in deductibles and copays as well.
You will find we pay somewhere near twice as much.
J.M.
sorry. i’m thrown by “we” again.
are you from Australia?
No, we Americans have far and away the most expensive system in the world.
Only somewhere near 70% actually goes for patient care. It just comes from so many different sources we cannot easily track it.
Let's take the case of a person earning $40k US per year. In the US, that person would pay federal income tax of $3170 US, plus 12% of each additional US$, if single; less if married. In Australia, that person would pay income tax of $7005 US, plus 23% of each additional US$. The numbers will change slightly depending on the exchange rate.
If you have a baby every other year, it comes out about the same. Otherwise the Australians are paying a lot more for their free babies.
Or for something. Yes, I'm sure that's oversimplified.
Correct. For your cost basis start with what you pay for an employer sponsored plan, add to that what your employer is paying, and add Medicare tax to that. Factor in deductibles and copays as well. You will find we pay somewhere near twice as much.
J.M.
I thought OJ was implying that the $8,000 cost was self pay. If so, all those other costs wouldn't be relevant.
I am responding to his comment that the Australian system was more expensive than ours. It is not. It is just a bit easier to track.
steve-in-kville wrote:At one time our area was plentiful with mid-wives who would deliver at home... some wouldn't deliver at home if it was your first child, or twins. Our oldest child was supposed to be born at home, but the mid-wife didn't like something at the last minute and we went to a hospital that was within her network. That bill was $4000 back in the late 90's. I remember making payments for a while as we just bought our first house.
Hershey Medical Center will knock a quick 30% or more off if you self pay. Other local hospitals started doing the same as they lost business to the self-pay community.
If they knock 30% off the charge master price, you are still likely paying far more than any insurance company pays. To find out what they likely are paying, just find our the Medicare “reasonable and customary “ charge and add about 10% to it. The actual rate an insurance company actually pays is a closely guarded secret.
In the US, that person would pay federal income tax of $3170 US, plus 12% of each additional US$, if single; less if married.
