> 5) Has some of the most generous welfare state policies of any nation. The US has free healthcare, and very large food and housing programs for the poor. Which is why America's poor are better off than all but half a dozen nation's poor.
Not to start an argument. I'm hoping you know something I don't and that will be a huge help.
I keep hearing about this free healthcare, yet I have friends and family members who can't afford the medication that keeps (kept) them alive. There was no other option even after chasing programs offered by the drug companies for "free medication" and applying to state programs. Do you mean they can go to an emergency room? That's not free either, you end up getting calls from collection agencies for the rest of your life, just like any other debt. And the emergency rooms are never a good idea unless you're actually bleeding out. My former father-in-law sat in the waiting room with a ruptured appendix for 12 hours because he was obviously poor and had no insurance. The nurse explained, if you have insurance, you have a Primary Care Physician to get you admitted, you can get right in. He didn't, so they told him to go home and take some ibuprofen. When he didn't (he couldn't physically get up) they got to him when they could.
For myself, health insurance is the single highest cost item in my budget. It costs more than my car payment or rent. I'm on the least expensive Affordable Care Act insurance in Texas. There is no subsidy unless you make 400% of the poverty level. As a business owner with a new business, I have zero revenue or income. I would be fine with that cost as a tax on income, it could grow with me. But as a flat rate, I will only be able to afford this a few more months unless our business becomes profitable, then I'm in the same boat as all the other poor, unless I go running back to some established employer. My wife has Type II diabetes. So I'm going to do whatever I have to. Her prescribed medication costs ~$400 per month, but after much searching we found a different combination that was $40/mo. Hopefully it works as well, we'll have to see.
I'm not complaining. I've had high paid jobs and and made alot of money over my life. We have it easier than most of the people we know. We are both young(ish) and healthy enough to still work. We have some savings, but I've spent most of it pitching in on healthcare for the family members I mentioned including my daughter. One of the reasons we started a business is we want to have something that will support us when we aren't able to do it ourselves, because we don't have anyone to do for us what we did for them. We don't have other options that I know of.
Tell me you do. I want to live in the America you do.
Not to start an argument. I'm hoping you know something I don't and that will be a huge help.
I keep hearing about this free healthcare, yet I have friends and family members who can't afford the medication that keeps (kept) them alive. There was no other option even after chasing programs offered by the drug companies for "free medication" and applying to state programs. Do you mean they can go to an emergency room? That's not free either, you end up getting calls from collection agencies for the rest of your life, just like any other debt. And the emergency rooms are never a good idea unless you're actually bleeding out. My former father-in-law sat in the waiting room with a ruptured appendix for 12 hours because he was obviously poor and had no insurance. The nurse explained, if you have insurance, you have a Primary Care Physician to get you admitted, you can get right in. He didn't, so they told him to go home and take some ibuprofen. When he didn't (he couldn't physically get up) they got to him when they could.
For myself, health insurance is the single highest cost item in my budget. It costs more than my car payment or rent. I'm on the least expensive Affordable Care Act insurance in Texas. There is no subsidy unless you make 400% of the poverty level. As a business owner with a new business, I have zero revenue or income. I would be fine with that cost as a tax on income, it could grow with me. But as a flat rate, I will only be able to afford this a few more months unless our business becomes profitable, then I'm in the same boat as all the other poor, unless I go running back to some established employer. My wife has Type II diabetes. So I'm going to do whatever I have to. Her prescribed medication costs ~$400 per month, but after much searching we found a different combination that was $40/mo. Hopefully it works as well, we'll have to see.
I'm not complaining. I've had high paid jobs and and made alot of money over my life. We have it easier than most of the people we know. We are both young(ish) and healthy enough to still work. We have some savings, but I've spent most of it pitching in on healthcare for the family members I mentioned including my daughter. One of the reasons we started a business is we want to have something that will support us when we aren't able to do it ourselves, because we don't have anyone to do for us what we did for them. We don't have other options that I know of.
Tell me you do. I want to live in the America you do.
(edited to fix typos)