Sicko

[Marilyn. 340]

we are in the same boat...

hubby really hates his job and his working on starting a whole new career to get out of it but the one great thing about his job is the health plan... when he changes jobs the health plan won't come with us though

[Reba 2]

I dunno about other states or regions within states even, but here in NC, its getting more and more difficult to find employers who offer health benefits. The cost is getting so prohibitive these days that several in the past few years have cancelled their policies, some without prior notice to their employees! The company I work for (with the crappy benefits) is on a "work slow-down" and those of us paid hourly wages are cut down to 4 days a week work, and we may all end up on permanent lay off if the situation doesn't improve. And then where will I be? Looking for a job at some fast food place where there's no health benefits. Because that's all there is left here.

[KarenCee 3]

Out of my paycheck each month....

$240 health insurance family coverage

$83 family dental

$19.95 for life insurance

5% of pre tax dollars go to Teacher Retirement System (I do NOT have a choice in this)

then more than 25% is taken out for taxes

So, for a monthly salary of $1322 I bring home $764 a month. Almost half my salary. *sigh* Yet this insurance is some of the best in the state. So I'm tied to a job that I'm already burned out in just so I can keep us covered.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Out of my paycheck each month....

$240 health insurance family coverage

$83 family dental

$19.95 for life insurance

5% of pre tax dollars go to Teacher Retirement System (I do NOT have a choice in this)

then more than 25% is taken out for taxes

So, for a monthly salary of $1322 I bring home $764 a month. Almost half my salary. *sigh* Yet this insurance is some of the best in the state. So I'm tied to a job that I'm already burned out in just so I can keep us covered.

How do you end up paying 25% in taxes? Are state and local taxes in Georgia that high?

The feds surely do not tax you 25% on a roughly 16K salary.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

6 weeks... that is ridiculous! I wish that the concept of family was as important here (and in Canada though the maternity leave in Canada is WAAAAAY better than the U.S.) as it is in most parts of Europe.

I hear you misa.... don't have kids either' but my cousin just had the bad bad idea to become a single mom in Mexico city and not only did she get mommy tracked (she is/was a super $ucce$$ful financial trader/adviser for conglomerates) but she also had to deal with 80 days leave - that's it. No more,no less.

Sad, but true.

L.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

SK - no premium payment

AB - 88 monthly per family of 2 (thank god the sh!thole, I mean the College I work for pays it).

Sheesh... now I am thinking bout this health costs in the US and it's getting scary .... if anyone's got a Valium pill laying around, pass it one for a desperate sister ok???????????

Peace (hopefully healthy peace), L.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Which is exactly why I said...

"I read everyone elses' stories and I am feeling blessed that we have what we have.. But it does add to the pressure of keeping the job I have.. Where else would we get such a good package really ???"

I realize that it is not a forever thing and I honestly am not sure it's a job I want to keep - but with the insurance, I'd be a fool NOT to stay in some respects..

Ditto Emancipation... the only reason I don't quit my job at Sh!thole College is because of the Blue Cross coverage -it's freakin amazing. The rest of it sux but hey! I should be leaving before years' end so I don't really loose sleep over hating my job (mind you the politics of it, the teaching and the students are awesome)

Peace, L.

[trailmix 77]

Out of my paycheck each month....

$240 health insurance family coverage

$83 family dental

$19.95 for life insurance

5% of pre tax dollars go to Teacher Retirement System (I do NOT have a choice in this)

then more than 25% is taken out for taxes

So, for a monthly salary of $1322 I bring home $764 a month. Almost half my salary. *sigh* Yet this insurance is some of the best in the state. So I'm tied to a job that I'm already burned out in just so I can keep us covered.

How do you end up paying 25% in taxes? Are state and local taxes in Georgia that high?

The feds surely do not tax you 25% on a roughly 16K salary.

So if I am reading this right, you are calculating your '25%' taxes AFTER you deduct all those other things, to answer the Georgia/Federal tax question....

[KarenCee 3]

25% is 25% no matter what the salary is. The taxes are taken out before my benefits but after TRS is taken out. Just because I make a meager salary doesn't mean that 25% isn't hard on me. Still, does it matter? The US healthcare system is the topic here and it's damned expensive to stay well as well as treat medical conditions. But it's insane to be without insurance.

Edited July 8, 2007 by KarenCee

[homesick_american 1]

I so want to see the movie.. Hubby is not so crazy about Mr. Moore - I'm not sure if I'll get him out to see it or not

I've been a fan since the TV Nation days but I won't be going to see Sicko. Basically, the bits about the NHS are lies...pure lies...and sincerely doubt that the rest of the movie would be lie or exaggeration-free.

[homesick_american 1]

Michael Moore is out to make money. You don't see him sharing it with anyone. He doesn't do anything to make the country better. He just likes to report the worse case scenario and scare people. Actually, I've noticed that he doesn't have any proof for a lot of the things he's speculating on. We definitely need to make some big changes. I don't like the health care system either but it is overburdened and taking care of people who have never paid into the system. When a few people put in and everyone takes out it's gonna be crappy.

Have you even seen the movie Geraghty? If you had, you would know that Michael payed the health care costs anonymously of his most vocal dissident who has a website about him. He also contributes to MANY charities. His movie was basically about a very corrupt HMO political fiasco that is called health care here in the US. One of the biggest changes that could come about is attitudes and beliefs!! Espeically one from the "ME" to the "WE"!!!

"...but it is overburdened and taking care of people who have never paid into the system..."

The above is exactly the attitude to which I speak....What happened to caring for our fellow man? What happened with taking care of people when they're down? These are PEOPLE for gosh sakes. I don't care who paid what when!

Health care should be universal. It is not only in Canada, but in Great Britian and France to name a few. I would suggest that if BILLIONS weren't spent on military expenses, and money being THROWN to "friends" in the pharmaceutical industry, there would be plenty of money around to offer universal health care in the US.

Just MHO.

Carla

Puh-LEEZE do not get me started on the NHS in the UK; it is abominable. If my mother had had her cancer in the UK instead of the USA, she'd be dead now because the NHS would not cover her anti-cancer medication. She wouldn't have been able to convince them to pay for hers because she has hypertension and diabetes too. So, the NHS would have most likely killed her while the evil terrible insurance company here in the USA pays for...well....everything. Yeah, it's SO horrible for EVERYONE.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

25% is 25% no matter what the salary is. The taxes are taken out before my benefits but after TRS is taken out. Just because I make a meager salary doesn't mean that 25% isn't hard on me. Still, does it matter? The US healthcare system is the topic here and it's damned expensive to stay well as well as treat medical conditions. But it's insane to be without insurance.

Roughly half of your salary is not even taxed by Uncle Sam based on your exemption and standard deduction which is effectively taking your gross down approximately 8K. So, what you're saying is that you pay taxes at a 50% rate on the remaining balance?

[KarenCee 3]

25% is 25% no matter what the salary is. The taxes are taken out before my benefits but after TRS is taken out. Just because I make a meager salary doesn't mean that 25% isn't hard on me. Still, does it matter? The US healthcare system is the topic here and it's damned expensive to stay well as well as treat medical conditions. But it's insane to be without insurance.

Roughly half of your salary is not even taxed by Uncle Sam based on your exemption and standard deduction which is effectively taking your gross down approximately 8K. So, what you're saying is that you pay taxes at a 50% rate on the remaining balance?

*sigh* Why in god's name are you so concerned? The discussion was health care and its costs. I pay a lot...taxes and insurance. I do it whether I like it or not because I have to take care of my family. My biggest mistake here was even posting my salary and deductions. I had NO freakin idea that THIS would be such a big concern! Yes, it is possible I've figured wrong (I'm sure you're thinking it) and if so PUHLEEESE forgive me. All I know is half my salary is gone before I even see one penny.

However, my salary isn't the original topic here. This is beginning to become like OT...*sigh* Let's try to stay on topic...if possible.

Edited July 8, 2007 by KarenCee

[Caladan 19]

I don't think the questioner was intending to be mean, just expressing shock that Georgia's income taxes seem to be so high. ($16K usually means you'd owe about $51.)

homesick american, if your mom had been here in the U.S. without insurance, she just would have died or bankrupted her family trying to get treatment.

That's where the difference is usually. If you have good insurance in the U.S., you're probably fine. If you don't have any, be prepared to go into debt. The comparison isn't between people who have good health insurance and the UK. It's the 60 million who would say, 'gee, that cancer treatment could save my life? do I sell my house or drain my kid's college fund?' that a UHS would be good for. Presumably an UHS wouldn't outlaw private insurance that could cover expensive treatments.

[Marilyn. 340]

Michael Moore is out to make money. You don't see him sharing it with anyone. He doesn't do anything to make the country better. He just likes to report the worse case scenario and scare people. Actually, I've noticed that he doesn't have any proof for a lot of the things he's speculating on. We definitely need to make some big changes. I don't like the health care system either but it is overburdened and taking care of people who have never paid into the system. When a few people put in and everyone takes out it's gonna be crappy.

Have you even seen the movie Geraghty? If you had, you would know that Michael payed the health care costs anonymously of his most vocal dissident who has a website about him. He also contributes to MANY charities. His movie was basically about a very corrupt HMO political fiasco that is called health care here in the US. One of the biggest changes that could come about is attitudes and beliefs!! Espeically one from the "ME" to the "WE"!!!

"...but it is overburdened and taking care of people who have never paid into the system..."

The above is exactly the attitude to which I speak....What happened to caring for our fellow man? What happened with taking care of people when they're down? These are PEOPLE for gosh sakes. I don't care who paid what when!

Health care should be universal. It is not only in Canada, but in Great Britian and France to name a few. I would suggest that if BILLIONS weren't spent on military expenses, and money being THROWN to "friends" in the pharmaceutical industry, there would be plenty of money around to offer universal health care in the US.

Just MHO.

Carla

Puh-LEEZE do not get me started on the NHS in the UK; it is abominable. If my mother had had her cancer in the UK instead of the USA, she'd be dead now because the NHS would not cover her anti-cancer medication. She wouldn't have been able to convince them to pay for hers because she has hypertension and diabetes too. So, the NHS would have most likely killed her while the evil terrible insurance company here in the USA pays for...well....everything. Yeah, it's SO horrible for EVERYONE.

hmm, it depends on your insurance.... we have good insurance right now and it pays for 90 percent of surgeries, hospital stays etc and 100 percent for tests and doctor's visits, but we have to pay the copays, which range from 15 dollars for a regular doctor visit to 150 dollars for a hospital stay... plus the 100 some bucks that comes off hubby's paycheck every two weeks...

but most people aren't so lucky...

Edited July 8, 2007 by MarilynP