TheCorinthian Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 What is Germany's tax rate? The USA tax rate probably is higher. It was easy enough to look up. Germany is much higher due to the VAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 VAT is 19%. Extremely bad for our (international) business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allistar Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 real world; "job killing obama care" versus 31,000,000 plus people with no health insurance and uncounted millions more keeping their crappy job because they have a pre-existing condition. I know which side I come out on. With so much pre-worrying about what is going to happen in 2014, if nothing changes between now and then, by 2015, most americans will fully support obamacare. Hopefully, then, the GOP will see the writing on the wall and come to the table to seek a plan to curb healthcare costs. I don't see the GOP doing anything between now and 2015 to help the healthcare situation in the U.S. And I do think that obamacare will pass the muster of the Supreme Court. Not reality;de-coupling healthcare from one's job. It puts too many burdens on employers and makes millions of people keep jobs that they don't want for the healthcare insurance. Those that have good healthcare insurance through their jobs are scared shitless about any change to their access to healthcare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Full repeal of health care law fails in Senate Republican efforts to repeal the health care reform law died a quick death in the Senate Wednesday, with a united Democratic caucus voting down a GOP repeal bill that cleared the House last month. A procedural vote ended the repeal effort, 47-51, as expected. Democrats framed the Republican amendment as an attempt to take health benefits away from Americans. .... Politico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Hoy Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Just curious, HH. Have you ever bothered to figure out what your recent stay in a hospital cost, in total? Did you ever dispute a charge that seemed high, or was clearly incorrect. Or did you figure you weren't paying for it, so who cares, as long as you got the treatment that you deserved. Just curious, Allistar. Do you have health insurance? Are you satisfied with it? Do you pay all or a portion of the premium? If employed, does your employer play all or part of the premium? Is your insurance a form of Medicaid? HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Had a hernia operation 2 ~ 3 years ago. Total cost (in a USA hospital): $10,000 USD I had good insurance at the time and the insurance company negotiated the bill down to $3,000 USD. Now, me as an individual, I would have had to pay the $10,000 (most likely) as individuals get farked and have no (little) power to get the bill lowered. Presently, have shit insurance, $10,000 deductible and still pay $300/month. Pre-existing conditions...good luck! even the present "catch-all" policies, for people who have pre-existing conditions and get thrown into the "insurance pool" will pay $800/month and have to wait 6 months before the policy will cover any pre-existing conditions...I have checked into this and this is the way it is! Americans are farked, when it comes to healthcare, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allistar Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 I'll answer your question if you answer mine. I'm 57 and have not had health insurance since graduating from college in 1975. In 35 years, I've spent $170.00 on two doctor's visits in the U.S. I've been very fortunate with very good health and not having any accidents. My father also never was hospitalied until he was in his late 70's (he had very good insurance in his lifetime, but that was a time when health insurance was reasonable). Its been 40 years since my last physical and I might actually break down and get one in LOS next month. If its any consolation to you, I plan on milking the health care system for what its worth after I turn 65. OK, now its your turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 After 65 the USA healthcare system is crap. My parents still have to buy a policy to cover all the things that medicare doesn't cover. Then there are the doctors that refuse to deal with medicare, so you pay them cash or try to go to another doctor. By the time you reach 65, the US politicians will have sucked all the money from medicare, so you will get ziltch, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allistar Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 I have a thai wife and will probably be moving back to LOS around the time that I turn 65, so I may use the thai health care system for a lot of my medical needs and use medicare for procedures that are done far better in the U.S. (obviously not for medical emergencies) or for extremely expensive procedures that are not covered under the LOS health insurance that I plan on buying by the time I turn 65. Cav, I'm sure that you are right about the direction of medicare but it may take longer than 7-8 years to reach the point where it would be better for me to use a LOS health insurance policy exclusively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allistar Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 It would be interesting to pull my medical file, as I don't think that I have one, except for the 2 times that I have seen a doctor in the last 35 years. I did have an accident when I was 5-6 years old, where I fell down some stairs and spent several days in the hospital, but that was over 50 years ago. I don't think that I have any pre-existing condition but I bet a health insurance official could come up with one if I ever applied for health insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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