President Trump.
Feb 9th 2020, 3:35 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by carcajou
No?
1. You don't pay a 2% income tax levy, on top of your income tax rate?
2. Your Medicare covers ambulances, and you don't have to pay a separate ambulance bill? Or have to pay for ambo coverage? Or have some other tax or levy to cover it, as in Queensland?
3. No wait lists for many procedures while on Medicare? Really?
4. No hospitals and GP practises branded as private, public or both? You don't see places all over Melbourne advertising "bulk billing?"
5. Full coverage for everything? I have multiple colleagues who are cancer patients out of pocket thousands because they didn't check the fine print on their Medicare.
6. Do you rely solely on Medicare? If not, and you have private insurance, and it doesn't cost you a couple hundred Dollars a month?
Yeah whatever. I don't believe you at all.
YES or NO to all please.
1. You don't pay a 2% income tax levy, on top of your income tax rate?
2. Your Medicare covers ambulances, and you don't have to pay a separate ambulance bill? Or have to pay for ambo coverage? Or have some other tax or levy to cover it, as in Queensland?
3. No wait lists for many procedures while on Medicare? Really?
4. No hospitals and GP practises branded as private, public or both? You don't see places all over Melbourne advertising "bulk billing?"
5. Full coverage for everything? I have multiple colleagues who are cancer patients out of pocket thousands because they didn't check the fine print on their Medicare.
6. Do you rely solely on Medicare? If not, and you have private insurance, and it doesn't cost you a couple hundred Dollars a month?
Yeah whatever. I don't believe you at all.
YES or NO to all please.
1. We only pay the levy if we don't buy over-priced medical insurance.
2. Our medical insurance covers it, and those without insurance have to pay for it out of their pocket - except for some states.
3, I'm not aware of that. I suspect it depends on local demand but last year my wife received some life saving operations that in many countries there are long waiting lists for and she didn't have to wait for more than a month. Last week one of my sons saw a specialist for a non urgent procedure and he's going in for the operation in the next few days, though admittedly I think he is the beneficiary of a cancellation. But on balance and by our experiences it is virtually waiting list free.
4. Yep, bulk billing is very much alive and kicking and the GP care that we receive is excellent and at least as good as any private practice I have known.
5. The only things we've ever had to pay for are a gap for some x-ray categories and what amounts to a prescription charge but the latter has an annual cap.
6. We have private insurance but apart from dentistry and optometry and the occasional massage everything for us is done through Medicare.
On balance, I reckon with Medicare, Australians have the most generous national health system in the world. It's awesome.
Last edited by paulry; Feb 9th 2020 at 3:39 am.
Feb 9th 2020, 3:44 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by carcajou
Um, absolutely not. Taxes are not an "individual case" or an "oversimplification" - and the government pages I linked to clearly spell that out. YOUR problem is extreme ideological bent that causes you to put on blinders to other arguments and reject all forms of coalition building which repeatedly sends you down dead ends.
You are, for instance, still insisting that I am a right-winger even though I have never voted for a right-wing party in my life and will not in the 2020 election, and politicians like Obama (who I voted for twice) and Clinton (who I voted for in 2016) never went as far as what is being advocated on this thread. I think that says it all right there.
The proof will be in the pudding on election day, not in red/blue divide and conquer games on social media. We will see if the candidates advocating your extreme positions do any better than they have historically. I am going to stop right here because I have no interest in getting into a slagging or mud-slinging match with rigid ideologues.
You are, for instance, still insisting that I am a right-winger even though I have never voted for a right-wing party in my life and will not in the 2020 election, and politicians like Obama (who I voted for twice) and Clinton (who I voted for in 2016) never went as far as what is being advocated on this thread. I think that says it all right there.
The proof will be in the pudding on election day, not in red/blue divide and conquer games on social media. We will see if the candidates advocating your extreme positions do any better than they have historically. I am going to stop right here because I have no interest in getting into a slagging or mud-slinging match with rigid ideologues.
Feb 9th 2020, 3:46 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by Giantaxe
Liberal comedian Bill Maher on Friday discouraged joking about conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh in light of the latter recently disclosing his diagnosis with lung cancer.
The host of “Real Time with Bill Maher” spoke out against mocking individuals who are sick or recently deceased during the online-only “Overtime” segment of his weekly HBO show.
He acknowledged being guilty of previously insulting the dead, however, having excoriated late Republican megadonor David Koch within hours of his death several months earlier.
“Wow, was I mean,” Mr. Maher said about mocking Koch. “But he was already dead. I didn’t think he could hear it, and I don’t think his family’s watching.”
“Yes, I’m not a Rush Limbaugh fan,” Mr. Maher added. “He did some terrible things. But I’m not going to do jokes about that.”
Mr. Maher, 64, subsequently proceeded to recall how Mr. Limbaugh, 69, came to his defense amid facing criticism for remarks he made following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
“He defended me after 9/11. Rush Limbaugh did. And I never forgot it,” Mr. Maher continued. “And maybe that’s — we could just pull back a little on the dead people and the sick people. How about that as a start? Everybody, what do you think? Let’s not be s–-ting on people who are not cold yet.”
The host of “Real Time with Bill Maher” spoke out against mocking individuals who are sick or recently deceased during the online-only “Overtime” segment of his weekly HBO show.
He acknowledged being guilty of previously insulting the dead, however, having excoriated late Republican megadonor David Koch within hours of his death several months earlier.
“Wow, was I mean,” Mr. Maher said about mocking Koch. “But he was already dead. I didn’t think he could hear it, and I don’t think his family’s watching.”
“Yes, I’m not a Rush Limbaugh fan,” Mr. Maher added. “He did some terrible things. But I’m not going to do jokes about that.”
Mr. Maher, 64, subsequently proceeded to recall how Mr. Limbaugh, 69, came to his defense amid facing criticism for remarks he made following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
“He defended me after 9/11. Rush Limbaugh did. And I never forgot it,” Mr. Maher continued. “And maybe that’s — we could just pull back a little on the dead people and the sick people. How about that as a start? Everybody, what do you think? Let’s not be s–-ting on people who are not cold yet.”
Feb 9th 2020, 3:56 am
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Posts: 11,989
re: President Trump.
I don't wish cancer on anyone - even Limbaugh - but I don't see why his diagnosis should shield Trump's subsequent awarding of the medal of freedom to him from being well and truly mocked.
Feb 9th 2020, 4:34 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by paulry
HOn balance, I reckon with Medicare, Australians have the most generous national health system in the world. It's awesome.
Feb 9th 2020, 4:35 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by Jsmth321
There are some improvements I would like to see in the Canadian system, specifically better mental health coverage since it currently does not cover therapy/psychological services, only covers the services of a psychiatrist.
But overall its not bad, and doesn't cost a large sum out of pocket or huge amount of taxes, sure it doesn't cover everything under the sun, but neither did my last US policy that cost me a small fortune each month + out of pocket costs at time of service.
Now, no money no problem, I can still go to my doctor, get lab tests, go to the ER, if I do need an ambulance I know the maximum cost is $75.
Canada doesn't have a national system, so each province does things a bit differently but overall I am happy with it, removing the high cost of healthcare from the picture means I go to the doctor before things become serious where in the US, I waited to the last possible time to go since I had to pay $50-$100 per visit in co-pay.
But overall its not bad, and doesn't cost a large sum out of pocket or huge amount of taxes, sure it doesn't cover everything under the sun, but neither did my last US policy that cost me a small fortune each month + out of pocket costs at time of service.
Now, no money no problem, I can still go to my doctor, get lab tests, go to the ER, if I do need an ambulance I know the maximum cost is $75.
Canada doesn't have a national system, so each province does things a bit differently but overall I am happy with it, removing the high cost of healthcare from the picture means I go to the doctor before things become serious where in the US, I waited to the last possible time to go since I had to pay $50-$100 per visit in co-pay.
Feb 9th 2020, 4:55 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by amideislas
Especially now the US becomes increasingly isolationist, unpredictable and irrational, I've become an even bigger believer in eliminating all reliance on the US for security. And limiting exposure to its financial system as much as possible.
Europe should have disposed itself of US military protection long ago, but now that Britain's out of the picture (the primary objector to independent European defence), plans for establishing a formidable European defence will finally accelerate. And withdrawing as much as possible from the risky US financial system.
That still has nothing to do with healthcare, which, unlike the US, is to a large extent operated like any other public infrastructure. It's not a "profit center". No 2000% markup.
Like schools, roads, water, etc... Oh, and those don't suck here either.
Europe should have disposed itself of US military protection long ago, but now that Britain's out of the picture (the primary objector to independent European defence), plans for establishing a formidable European defence will finally accelerate. And withdrawing as much as possible from the risky US financial system.
That still has nothing to do with healthcare, which, unlike the US, is to a large extent operated like any other public infrastructure. It's not a "profit center". No 2000% markup.
Like schools, roads, water, etc... Oh, and those don't suck here either.
Good luck on a combined Euro Force though. The French would want to run it, the Germans would tell them to go **** themselves and the British tell them both to go **** themselves as they've had them both round their necks in 2 wars already
Feb 9th 2020, 5:00 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by Giantaxe
What's your point?
If you were a paying member of any of those health plans then the co-pays are generally a hell of a lot less than 50-100 dollars for a doctor's visiti
Feb 9th 2020, 5:07 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by dc koop
If you were a paying member of any of those health plans then the co-pays are generally a hell of a lot less than 50-100 dollars for a doctor's visiti
Feb 9th 2020, 5:42 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by Giantaxe
Depends what kind of plan you have with those insurance companies. And, of course, whether you've met your annual deductible - yes, even Kaiser has many plans with large copayments and deductibles.
Feb 9th 2020, 5:51 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by dc koop
Trump after he was elected made an attempt to better relations with Russia. The first thing that happened after that were howls of complaints from NATO members that he was embarked on a policy of pulling out of NATO, not least of the sniveling coming from leaders of the Democrat party. I would welcome a withdrawal of US military forces worldwide. There is no reason that US troops should be deployed all over the world to fight smelly little wars that have no connection to the US or it's well being and security. If Putin wishes to annex the Ukraine who cares. if a war with Russia were to break out at present it would be US soldiers who would be bearing the brunt in killed and wounded. The collosal amounts of money that are spent on maintaining a huge presence in Poland and the Ukraine could be used not only towards a national health plan but an infrastructure and transportation system that is well and truly a marvel in the 21st century.
Good luck on a combined Euro Force though. The French would want to run it, the Germans would tell them to go **** themselves and the British tell them both to go **** themselves as they've had them both round their necks in 2 wars already
Good luck on a combined Euro Force though. The French would want to run it, the Germans would tell them to go **** themselves and the British tell them both to go **** themselves as they've had them both round their necks in 2 wars already
Feb 9th 2020, 5:59 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by amideislas
I "attained knowledge" the old fashioned way; went to school and earned university degrees. But in this bold new world of irony, apparently that makes me the last person to know anything about anything.
I really feel sorry for the young, full of enthusiasm and idealism, who ultimately discover that ignorance is now the popular skillset for the future.
I really feel sorry for the young, full of enthusiasm and idealism, who ultimately discover that ignorance is now the popular skillset for the future.
Last edited by dc koop; Feb 9th 2020 at 6:01 am.
Feb 9th 2020, 7:04 am
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re: President Trump.
Originally Posted by dc koop
Were you a member of Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Humana. Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Scan ?
My dad had Kaiser too, his co-pay was $5 but he worked for a government entity so had way better policy through his employer, my employer went with lower monthly premiums but high co-pay's, when healthcare is employment based you don't get a whole lot of choice.
So looking at the Kaiser website getting a quote this is what is being offered. Using my old zip code in So. California, I used the Kaiser site directly for the quote. Monthly premium quoted $328, $347 & $330 for a single male, age 40. Premiums alone is more then I paid in taxes last year in Canada.
Last edited by scrubbedexpat091; Feb 9th 2020 at 7:18 am.
