Anyone wish they were back in the UK

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

A 45 year old has probably made the decision 25 years before to NOT join the military for whatever reason. That's fine. They had the offer then and he passed it up. Life is about making decisions that you want to make. Getting a career and a marriage and a savings BEFORE having kids is a plan. Folks who have kids at 16 or 17, well those plans will give them a harder life. Not my problem.

Civilian health care for me is $1k a month now. I hate it but that was the cheapest option. It went way up when obama mandated coverage to age 26 and coverage of pre-existing conditions. Someone has to pay for that care. There are so many unemployed now that employers can offer minimum wage and no benefits and get plenty of takers for the job. Once employment levels increase and labor becomes scarce then employers may have to offer benefits or more money.

A 45 year old with a wife and kids a mortgage who becomes unemployed will qualify for welfare/TAD.

The trick? Stay skilled and salable. Always have skills that are in demand, don't get stuck in a rut and expect to always be in demand. Ask any TV repairman or Fuller brush salesman.

Empathy? I'm sad that bad things happen to good people. I'm sadder that people expect things for free.

I bet they won't either.

I have no idea where you got the impression that I thought it was okay that hard working people can't afford or are not offered health benefits. I have no idea.

No. I do not think a college degree is a pre-requisite to being able to go the Doctor. I never said that. Ever. Anywhere. What I did say, is that I earned a college degree because I knew that healthcare costs money. I knew that good companies who respect their employees offer good health care. I knew that those companies hired skilled, educated workers. So, I made myself a skilled, educated worker so that I could enjoy those benefits. I also know if I got fired tomorrow, I would be in a better place to take up another job that offers good benefits to their employees. That's all I'm saying. That is all I have been saying. Anything else that you think I have been saying is not what I'm saying. I just clearly stated what I'm saying. It's all right there. Right in the open. For your reading pleasure.

I hope it always works that way for you, DizzyLox. Truly I do. I hope you never find yourself out of work for a long time with no health cover.

For many people in the US, it hasn't worked out that way.

[Boiler 44,857]

In the UK I had a Company Car and a final salary pension.

The people doing what I was doing now have neither.

I did have subsidised private medical insurance, I am not sure if that is still offered.

Here, well I will never provide Medical Insurance to my employees, but neither will I insure their cars or houses.

[Robert&Karen 264]

I bet they won't either.

I'll take that bet. I worked welfare for 7 years. If he has enough work quarters (3 years in the last 5 years), is unemployed not due to cause (like stealing from the till), and has property under a certain value, then the family is eligible for cash, food stamps, and medi-cal. To get welfare a parent has to be dead, disabled, absent, or unemployed. Absent parent was by far the greatest number of cases scenarios.

[Boiler 44,857]

And be in California.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I'll take that bet. I worked welfare for 7 years. If he has enough work quarters (3 years in the last 5 years), is unemployed not due to cause (like stealing from the till), and has property under a certain value, then the family is eligible for cash, food stamps, and medi-cal. To get welfare a parent has to be dead, disabled, absent, or unemployed. Absent parent was by far the greatest number of cases scenarios.

Not in my state. Owning a home will disqualify one immediately.

[Robert&Karen 264]

Not in my state. Owning a home will disqualify one immediately.

If you own your home outright then get a mortgage on it to survive!!! Holy cow you are sitting on a $300k asset and want tax dollars out of my pocket? No way! But if you have a mortgage on it and do not own it? Or like today with most people are upside down on it? Then you are exempt and the house does not count as property.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

If you own your home outright then get a mortgage on it to survive!!! Holy cow you are sitting on a $300k asset and want tax dollars out of my pocket? No way! But if you have a mortgage on it and do not own it? Or like today with most people are upside down on it? Then you are exempt and the house does not count as property.

Are you for real?

Have you tried to get a mortgage lately? Especially without a J-O-B job?

Robert, you don't know me very well, I don't think. I'm a 54-year old female who has been blessed to have a lot of ups and a lot of downs in my life. I'm a pick-myself-up-and-get-on-it-with-it sort of gal. I've had times with plenty of money and times where I ate ramen noodles (beyond the college years). So I'd like to think my highs and lows have given me first hand knowledge of how systems work, as well as an appreciation for being down but not out.

[Robert&Karen 264]

Are you for real?

Have you tried to get a mortgage lately? Especially without a J-O-B job?

Robert, you don't know me very well, I don't think. I'm a 54-year old female who has been blessed to have a lot of ups and a lot of downs in my life. I'm a pick-myself-up-and-get-on-it-with-it sort of gal. I've had times with plenty of money and times where I ate ramen noodles (beyond the college years). So I'd like to think my highs and lows have given me first hand knowledge of how systems work, as well as an appreciation for being down but not out.

If you own the house outright have you not heard of a reverse mortgage which requires no job or credit? Or sell for what equity you DO have? Or go back to renting which statistically has been HALF of mortgage payments (maybe no so much after this latest financial round)? Today mortgages are tougher because the bank does not want to have another disaster. Can't blame them.

Rebecca, I have had highs and lows too. I was once homeless and relied on a soup kitchen for food. I got handed food stamps for ONE month then decided I better do something because no one is really going to help me but me, and I did. Food stamps are not a blessing, it's a trap! I used to do odd jobs for bus money and now I drive a Porsche. Wanna know who I have to thank for that? ME. Do not count on your boss, your spouse, your house equity, your stocks and bonds or your crystal ball.

And go read WHO MOVED MY CHEESE.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Robert, I've heard of reverse mortgages. I was in the business for many years.

Selling a house takes time. I've sold one. I know.

I wonder if you are listening to yourself. Daddy loses his job through no fault of his own. So part of the solution to his problem is that he sell the roof over his children's head. I guess this is just one of those bad things that happens to good people?

You probably won't believe this, but I'm tickled for you that things have turned out well for you. I really am. I actually believe that when a person has worked hard, they should reap the rewards.

What I also believe though is there are things we do, as a society, to make society better. Healthcare for everyone is one of those things. Healthcare is not food stamps; it's not welfare; it's not unemployment compensation. It shouldn't even be brought up with these things.

Edited January 9, 2012 by Rebecca Jo

[Boiler 44,857]

What I also believe though is there are things we do, as a society, to make society better. Healthcare for everyone is one of those things. Healthcare is not food stamps; it's not welfare; it's not unemployment compensation. It shouldn't even be brought up with these things.

It is ####### Pumps according to Medicaid, to the tune of $350m and counting.

And it would appear in the UK removal of defective breast enlargements.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

It is ####### Pumps according to Medicaid, to the tune of $350m and counting.

And it would appear in the UK removal of defective breast enlargements.

Oh well, at least the stupidity is global!

[Robert&Karen 264]

If you have a house with equity, and sell it, you get cash to live on. In my divorce I gave my ex 60k, she lived on that for a several years while reworking herself to her new chosen life. Selling a house is not easy unless you are willing to not get top dollar. You need to decide what is more important.

As for healthcare for all, we have it. ANYONE can go to the doctor, get a check up, and write a check or pay cash for their healthcare. It is done all the time.

Oh wait, you meant PAYMENT for healthcare. Healthcare is not the question, it is affording it. There is a product you want and cannot afford. Gotcha.

Well let's simplify things. Let's say that there are 100 people in the country and medical care costs $100 a year per person. In that case, you can see that you will be taxed $100 a year. Or maybe $110 because there is overhead. Even if there are 300,000,000 people in the country, which there are, and medical cost is $200 a person per year, then your tax is $200 plus overhead.

But the reality is that while I paid $0 last year for medical care, a friend paid $400,000. True story. Well, his insurance paid it.

In the end, insurance is a form of gambling. For everyone who gets coverage over what they pay someone gets less so at the end of the day what is paid out to medical care staff and the overhead equals what was taken in. We hope.

In Germany insurance is mandatory. This lowers the price overall, as I'd be one of the people not paying into it and taking my chances. You see, there are plenty not paying one cent into insurance yet they collect. I sure wish I could do that with my auto insurance!!!

And if EVERYONE pays in and EVERYONE benefits, fine. Just like fire and police, we pay in and get the benefits of it available to us, needed or not. But if you do not pay in you get nothing. Simple.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

If you have a house with equity, and sell it, you get cash to live on. In my divorce I gave my ex 60k, she lived on that for a several years while reworking herself to her new chosen life. Selling a house is not easy unless you are willing to not get top dollar. You need to decide what is more important.

As for healthcare for all, we have it. ANYONE can go to the doctor, get a check up, and write a check or pay cash for their healthcare. It is done all the time.

Oh wait, you meant PAYMENT for healthcare. Healthcare is not the question, it is affording it. There is a product you want and cannot afford. Gotcha.

Well let's simplify things. Let's say that there are 100 people in the country and medical care costs $100 a year per person. In that case, you can see that you will be taxed $100 a year. Or maybe $110 because there is overhead. Even if there are 300,000,000 people in the country, which there are, and medical cost is $200 a person per year, then your tax is $200 plus overhead.

But the reality is that while I paid $0 last year for medical care, a friend paid $400,000. True story. Well, his insurance paid it.

In the end, insurance is a form of gambling. For everyone who gets coverage over what they pay someone gets less so at the end of the day what is paid out to medical care staff and the overhead equals what was taken in. We hope.

In Germany insurance is mandatory. This lowers the price overall, as I'd be one of the people not paying into it and taking my chances. You see, there are plenty not paying one cent into insurance yet they collect. I sure wish I could do that with my auto insurance!!!

And if EVERYONE pays in and EVERYONE benefits, fine. Just like fire and police, we pay in and get the benefits of it available to us, needed or not. But if you do not pay in you get nothing. Simple.

So if a person is paying nothing for health insurance, they should get no health care?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Something that gets lost in this debate is that healthcare overall, by virtue of the NHS being a single payer system, is MUCH cheaper than the US even if you do elect to go private in the UK, which is always an option if you get put on a waiting list. I had BUPA through my employer which was free to me, but valued for taxation purposes at 495 quid annually. My US premiums are 584% more expensive than that for what I pay directly - I have no idea the costs to my employer.

[DiZZyLoX 114]

They get health care and the bill that comes with it. It doesn't seem your issue is with healthcare, your issue is with who picks up the bill.

My hubby went to ER on a visit here to see me and we werent even engaged then. All they knew was that he had a first name and last name. He got excellent care, medicine and discharge instruction. 2 weeks later we got the bill. Like I'd expect.

His travel insurance picked up the bill. Nothing is free...TODAY. You do what you gotta do. I'm confused as to why this is being argued when you can get care. Anyone can.

Are you arguing that you can't get care or are you arguing that the doctors getting paid for what they do and the means to which are offered to pay them are not to your satisfaction?

And if not, i'm curious what you think is the solution?