Matt Sabre

I'm hoping that by the time I retire, the USA will catch up with the rest of the civilized world with a single-payer system.

I've got about ten years.

Pulaski

I came here hoping to get away from such nonsense, but I have longer to go than you for the politicians to foul things up.

mrken30

Some people use death with dignity in my State as an opt out.

My wife aunt just ran out of money so she got diagnosed terminally ill with old age.

That may be a consideration on where I end up. I may want the option.

Matt Sabre

What nonsense?

Pulaski

When I only quoted one sentence, how hard is to work out what I am talking about?

lansbury

I think that is still a reasonable estimate, especially if you can take the generic version of any drugs you need. Mrs L is diabetic and takes what to me is quite a collection of medication and she is well below $6K. I take blood pressure and cholesterol medication and my tablets cost me $200 a year, and that because I prefer the $11.99 a month blood pressure medication to the $4 a month one.

With medicare, supplemental including dental and co-pays etc I pay $3k a year. I expect that to raise as I get older and of course a major illness would increase the cost a lot. As you say it isn't a bottomless pit, or the deterrent to retirement in the US some think it is.

SultanOfSwing

That is a genuine first. People will emigrate for many reasons: a beautiful woman, their dream job, inability to adapt to the fact that seasons exist and weather is dynamic, proximity to a bloke dressed up as vermin in red shorts, but there's Pulaski with '**** the NHS ..."

Never change.

Pulaski

That wasn't the only reason, nor even a significant one.

Matt Sabre

I prefer to be sure what somebody is actually saying before crafting a reply. You could have been saying either my post was nonsense or that you agree with me that the lack of single-payer is nonsense.

SultanOfSwing

I know, but it gave me a laugh to think of you doing it that way. We all know the real reason you moved here is that gardens in the UK are nowhere near big enough for you to store all your hardscape material

Pulaski

Nor was there enough material to justify owning a chainsaw. .... A lack of Mustangs was a significant ancillary factor.

SultanOfSwing

That's true. I never knew anyone who had a chainsaw or a Mustang back home.

Giantaxe

Medicare is largely, but not completely, a single-payer system.

kodokan

We're planning a series of mini-retirements. So far we've got:

- RV traveling
- a year in a tiny city center apartment somewhere, pretending to be sophisticated urbanites
- a rural episode, including building a rally car for hubby and chickens/ vegetables for me
- a winter somewhere with a mad amount of snow where we actually get snowed in (but don't care because we don't have to be anywhere)

By the time we've done those and any others that occur to us, the kids should be through college and possibly settled, and then we can see if they'd like/ need us anywhere nearby.

Pulaski

You want a single payer system. I was glad to get away from "such nonsense".

Giving the government the capability to determine what healthcare services people can use is outrageous, as is giving the government the capability to squander $millions on unnecessary procedures and prescriptions or on ineffective computer systems, etc.