Originally Posted by Jerseygirl

I think you're in for quite a shock.

Originally Posted by Duncan Roberts

The first time you go to the doctor here and realize they have stacked the appointments and charge you for the privilege of waiting an hour for 2 minutes of face time you may change your tune on that one. Like you said, it all gets paid for somewhere. That 20% tax will become 50%+ of expenses you didn't have in the UK quite quickly. 40% of my wife's pay gets taken out and she doesn't work a particularly high paying job, we only pay 17% of the $1600 monthly premium for healthcare, dental and vision is very cheap compared to the norm and she chooses to have very little federal tax taken out, as in when I took it to our accountant to do our taxes he commented about how little it was. Don't underestimate the American value of getting paid, everyone wants in on it. That was what surprised me the most, how all the little things and small taxes that I had never even considered added up.

The UK is actually years ahead of the US in most things, infrastructure and technology especially. The phrase "why change it if it's worked that way for years" is a commonly held belief for a lot of Americans (especially the ones who have power) and applies to everything.

It is good that your husband will be able to spend more time with you guys though, sounds like that part should work out well.

Originally Posted by Bob

He drove through MA?

Originally Posted by Giantaxe

Either that or they're a troll. I mean, how much naivity can you stack into one post and expect to be believed? And if they're not a troll, I really hope they've thought it through - especially healthcare and what their kids are going to do age 21 - rather more than their posts indicate they have.

Originally Posted by Sally Redux

So tax is 20% and doctors treat you with respect and courtesy. Great research there.

Originally Posted by Giantaxe

I'd love to see to logic behind the UK having a 50% tax burden and the US 20%. For starters, Self Employment Tax in the US comes in at 15.3%, and that's before we've even started thinking about income tax. The UK certainly has a higher tax burden than the US - the last figure I saw in The Economist suggested that the UK takes in about 6 to 7% more of GDP in taxes - but that's made up in a heartbeat - no pun intended - by the fact that the US spends 16% of GDP on healthcare as compared to 9% in the UK.

Originally Posted by chrisfromusa

Aren't your highways top notch? Here they are as bad as Puerto Rico With the Turnpike being terrible

Originally Posted by chrisfromusa

Do you have to pay out-of-pocket for medicines, specialist visits, clinics, etc.?

Originally Posted by Bob

In the UK?

pescriptions for those who pay is about £6.50 or there abouts, but plenty of people don't have to pay, students, pregnant women plus a year after birth, those on benefits etc.

No other co-pays for doctors, specialists, hospitals etc.

Originally Posted by chrisfromusa

Then I don't get her reasons for saying health care here is somehow better. Maybe it is better for this, that, or the other thing, but what good is it, if you can't pay to get it? I have to applaud those from the UK that want to move here, giving up something life-saving that is essentially speaking, free.

Honestly I think if they had said from the very beginning, and been honest, and just have said we want to move because it's tropical, I don't think none of us would have been this critical, but that's my opinion

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl

To me and I think most Brits...we regard healthcare as a basic human right...it's something we've grown up with. Therefore anything less than 100% we moan and whinge about...especially the $10 or so for prescription medications.

Fast forward to the US...you get great healthcare if you can afford it. If you have a terminal illness or long term disability...a few million in the bank won't get you very far. The upside is you can always return to the country you couldn't wait to leave...the one with the crappy NHS and social security system.

Originally Posted by chrisfromusa

I have to applaud those from the UK that want to move here, giving up something life-saving that is essentially speaking, free.

Originally Posted by Giantaxe

I think it very difficult for people brought up with universal healthcare to understand all the ramifications of being exposed to a system where healthcare is anything but universal. I know I didn't, even though I was well aware of many of the issues. I was an intra-company transferee and knew I would be getting good insurance over here. It never crossed my mind to worry about what would happen if I became unemployed or seriously ill:- I was a lot younger and healthcare just wasn't such a big issue, either for myself or my - now adult - children. Now it's by far the most negative issue about living here.

Originally Posted by Giantaxe

I think it very difficult for people brought up with universal healthcare to understand all the ramifications of being exposed to a system where healthcare is anything but universal. I know I didn't, even though I was well aware of many of the issues. I was an intra-company transferee and knew I would be getting good insurance over here. It never crossed my mind to worry about what would happen if I became unemployed or seriously ill:- I was a lot younger and healthcare just wasn't such a big issue, either for myself or my - now adult - children. Now it's by far the most negative issue about living here.