OT. How much does it cost the average American (family) for health care insurance.

[William Munny]

Early 60's, self-employed. For self and wife pay $19,000 per year in HMO membership fees + $20/$30 co-pay per MD visit, $15 for 30 day supply of generic Rx, much more for brand name, no charge for lab work, x-rays, most diagnostic stuff.

Only bright spot is that being self-employed, the HMO premiums are tax deductible. But before you rant, remember that self-employed people pay DOUBLE the rate that employees do for social security tax.

Big bucks overall but I sure as shootin' don't want the government involved in it!!!

[Kurt Ullman]

That depends a little on how the plan is set-up. Many companies may re-insure or essentially lay off part of the risk to another company. Think of it as the company's version of a deductible.

[RBM]

My family health insurance varies every couple of years when whatever current company I have drops the group, then we sign up with another. Currently mine costs $17,280 for family of five, no dental

[HeyBub]

The presidency is a temporary job.

[ChairMan]

but the bennies are forever

[dpb]

Well, when I was traveling to Sask servicing coal analyzers during last trip since plant was in an outage there was significant OT; the plant chemist who had oversight of the analyzers as part of his job description and had gotten quite familiar over the years. Invited to supper one evening; pay packet had arrived that day. W/ the OT, total withheld was >50% of gross--that's pretty daggone expensive. Then afaik all are responsible for GMT which while I no longer know what rate is, ain't just a percent or two...

And, since this was pretty close to the US border, it was common that when kids had anything routine such as vaccinations, earache, etc., they simply took them to Minot or Williston as it would be so long before there was any opportunity to have them seen in Estevan or Weyburn and there were no services in Coronach/East Poplar where the plant was actually located. All in all, the system didn't seem particularly anything to wish for even then.

Something about roughly half to two-thirds of the uncovered are either undocumented or the well young that choose to spend their dollars elsewhere. Any critical need patient will get treated simply by showing up at the emergency room. A major reason for the high per capita cost is that there is a large fraction of the above groups that simply use emergency room services as their family doctor; the most expensive way possible to get services but they mostly choose to not use conventional services of their own volition.

It's complicated but single-payer gov't controlled isn't going to help in any way I can see.

--

[BobR]

Back in the early 90's I was also self-employed and having difficulty getting insurance on my wife and I because of pre-existing conditions with my wife. I was paying over $1600 per month for $2500 deductable major medical only. When Clinton started the healthcare overhaul push I was elated and hoping it would finally give me some relief. Then I read the details of the plan they were proposing, realized that it was opening a door for government control and promptly contacted all of my Senate and Congressional representatives and demanded they vote it down. Now that damn snake has reared its ugly head again and this time we should cut its damn head off.

[dpb]

Self-employed; 64/62, $870/mo w/ a so-so dental.

Of course, that doesn't count the Medicare premiums, 2.9% (total) of earned wages w/ no cap.

--

[Stormin Mormon]

About 1/4 as much as if the government handled it all.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Here true emergency is always taken care of. Too many people swarm emergency rooms. I saw an old lady came to emergency ward for med. refill. Here there is private clinics as well for rich folks who ca afford quick service. It's not all public service. Actually origin of Canadian health care service is Saskatchewan.

[Don Klipstein]

A family plan with lower deductibe costs employer and employee combined about $10K annually maybe a year or two ago, inflating about 10% annually.

When there is a subscriber, one or the other of these is true (unless the employer picks up the full tab, as is often the case for most members of the more politically powerful unions).

Medicaid is available to the "truly poor", and not to most who merely cannot afford private health insurance.

"A few hundred" is probably typical or highish-typical among employees with employer-sponsored health insurance that the employee has to chip into. Some employees pay nothing (usually if members of motre politically powerful unions), some pay 100% (several hundred to close to $1K per month), most pay in-between.

$12K sounds to me about average or very slightly high-side for employer and employee combined to pay for health insurance for an employee and the employee's family.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[dpb]

Tony Hwang wrote: ...

Well, it didn't seem to be working very well since they mostly went to the States...

[benick]

[Don Klipstein]

And what Canada pays from taxes to cover everyone there is no higher percentage of GDP that USA pays from taxes (and government borrowing, to be paid plus intrerest by taxpayers in the future) to cover only:

Medicare and Medicaid, sCHIPs, military and veterans, the few poor and low income workers actually benefiting from county programs, and employer contributions to health insurance premiums of gubmint workers in healthcare-related agencies.

Canada gubmint spends no higher percentage of GDP than USA does to cover what USA gubmint does not: The vast majority of private sector workers, a significant chunk of the unemployed, as well as gubmint employees outside healthcare-related agencies such as police officers and public school teachers and court employees.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Don Klipstein]

Then why does USA gubmint spend as high a percentage of GDP on health coverage as is spent by gubmints of other western nations who do handle it all?

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Don Klipstein]

USA gubmint won't pay for an abortion at any time, 11 months or sooner.

Meanwhile, I know quire a few people in Canada, and none of them consider it advantageous in terms of healthcare, even for heart disease or cancer, to move south of their border. I even heard them telling me so.

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[Don Klipstein]

Make that 33 ships as of 2008. Not too bad for a country with 1/10 of USA's population.

Like in USA prescription drugs having so much protectionism as to cost more legally than illegal re-imports of USA-made FDA-approved drugs that made two border crossings?

Not as badly as happens to all to many USA residents!

I expect USA to not fare better than other industrialized democracies this coming flu season!

- Don Klipstein ( [e-mail])

[HeyBub]

It's not the U.S. government that's paying, it's the individual.

We pay more a higher percentage of GDP because we CAN.

Once diagnosed with a chronic disease like cancer or heart failure, the five year survival rate in the U.S. is greater, sometimes far greater, than elsewhere. For example, the five year survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate cancer is better than 95%. In the UK, it is 56% (and in the high

80s in Canada).

But it comes at a cost - a cost we as individuals are willing to pay but which some governments are not.

[Tony Hwang]

Huh? When I needed Eprex 3 times(1 cc shots by myself) a week it did not cost me a dime. Still taking anti rejection pills(may be rest of my life), Immuran and Rapamune every day. Nothing comes out of my pocket. I just phone in and go pick up the refill.

[benick]

I don't know the avg. but we pay 1,000 bucks a year (33.00 bi-weekly) for the wife and myself..Blue Cross/Blue Shield , 1,000.00 deductable , 500.00 heathcare credit for tests and preventive care BEFORE deductable , 10,000 total out of pocket expense , includes eye , dental , perscriptions and 4 dollar perscriptions and OTC drugs...Insurance provided by Walmart where SWMBO is employed full time....I am self employed....