Healthcare, how does it work in your country?

[harrison102]

How does the healthcare system work in your country? How much does it cost? How much is your insurance?

[exitseven]

Mos people get health insurance from their employers. They may have to pay a percentage of the premium themselves. There are different types of coverage. There are HMOs that have strict rules about what hospitals and doctors are in their network. There are PPP plans that cover claims from providers outside the network. There are so called Cadillac plans that gives the policyholder that option to go to any hospital and see any doctor. They are the most expensive.
When people turn 65 they are eligible for Medicare which is the government paid for health plan. With Medicare, most people buy additional coverage that includes prescription drugs and other services.
It is not perfect but it gives excellent healthcare to a great percentage of the population.

[DrPepper12]

It doesn't. Just like education, law, housing, safety, etc it's pay to play.

[itsannalee]

I live in Taiwan and the healthcare system here is almost perfect and cheap, we have insurance called National Health Insurance (NHI)

[harrison102]

How much does it cost roughly? Say you broke your leg?

[itsannalee]

As long as there is surgery it’s still pretty cheap. Like for outpatient treatment, the NHI sets reimbursement limits for outpatient treatment, which is NT$1,024 per visit (mostly we just need to pay NT$200)

Hospitalization, the reimbursement limit for each day of hospitalization is NT$6,227.

Prescription Fees, there are prescription fees that vary depending on the type of hospital or clinic, with fees ranging from NT$150 for clinics and district hospitals to NT$400 for regional hospitals and NT$750 for medical centers.

If surgery is required, the NHI will cover a portion of the cost, but there may still be out-of-pocket expenses.

[harrison102]

And this works for everyone? Higher paid workers are lower paid workers?

[itsannalee]

For everyone who has NHI, if you are foreigner and has Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) you can get NHI too. So it basically for everyone.

[harrison102]

Fair enough, so what is the average wage? Vs healthcare treatment? I’m in the uk, we have a different healthcare system.

[itsannalee]

I think the average wage is like NT$28k a month for like 7/11 staff who work 8 hours a day. And the NHI cost is around NT$700 per month. I don’t really know, my company pay for it.

[BarryLiverstone]

I’m in Florida. Last paycheck I paid about $500 for health insurance. If I get sick I see a doctor and submit my insurance info

[harrison102]

Is the $500 per year?

[BarryLiverstone]

Per paycheck

[BarryLiverstone]

So about $13,000 annually

[harrison102]

Is that expensive? Does it depend on what you earn per year?

[BarryLiverstone]

Expensive seems subjective. We have options what gets covered and the company can match expenses on things. The cost rises every year

[harrison102]

Okay, is it expensive for you? You must earn 45 thousand plus a year?

[BarryLiverstone]

I earn more than $45,000. It is what it is, it’s a needed expense

[harrison102]

Okay, so I don’t know what the lowest earning are in the US. But, what would someone pay if they’re on 20/30 grand a year? Same or lower?

So so I kinda understand lol

[BarryLiverstone]

Yup most pay for insurance

[NathanDavis]

it doesn't work...

[seeyounexttuesday]

Take the worst parts of socialized medicine and the worst parts of corporatism and then you have the US healthcare industry.

[DrPepper12]

That's stunningly accurate!!

[seeyounexttuesday]

@DrPepper12 the only thing we aren’t doing is pushing euthanasia