TimNiceBut

That's certainly true if you're staying within the NHS and are willing to wait for appointments. If you're in a hurry and have private health insurance, this might be slightly different - I remember having co payments about 10 years back on some private health insurance, but they got me to see a/the same specialist within four weeks rather than six months on the NHS. Waiting times have got somewhat shorter since then, though.

Of course the 'no co-pays' is only true if the particular medication you need is available on the NHS (which a lot of it is, it's usually expensive very new stuff that isn't), otherwise you're really out of pocket.

People moan about how "crappy" the NHS is, but given the money we pay for it I'm happy to wait a little while for a specialist to see me in normal, non-life threatening circumstances. As I've mentioned on here before, I'm German and live in the UK, so I have a direct comparison between the universal tax-funded system here and the more insurance-based approach in Germany. You pay a lot more in Germany for more benefits, and generally the doctors will see you much sooner, but waiting times there have been going up and benefits have been reduced. Keep in mind that I was paying about 13%-14% of my gross salary for mandatory health insurance alone about 12 years ago and it's gone up since. Add mandatory state pension at another 20-odd percent and there's a whole chunk of money gone. And people here complain about the 10-something percent that you pay for both National Insurance and the state pension...

tonrob

Most of the US Interstate system was designed by a 4-year old. Fact.

Bob

Aye, but you can get private insurance in the UK for peanuts, people just generally don't consider bothering with it unless it's a work offered benefit usually....in the US you don't really have the option

And waiting lists have improved in the UK, even though they are what most people moan about, it sucks to be waiting, but generally, it's not that bad...down my way, to see my PCP/GP, if it's for a regular check up type physical, it's a 3-5 month wait, I could go else where, but it was the only place around taking new patients that is a family clinic where the doctors are paediatricians which is massive, so we can as a family all go there and see the same doctors rather than having to take our daughter to another doctors office as usually the case is...in MA, kids have to see a paeds till they are 18...better than CT where they have to see them till they are 21

TimNiceBut

Waiting lists were pretty bad about ten years back, I remember my then GP mumbling something about it taking six months until I could see a neurologist (reduced to four weeks once he found out I had private insurance).

Down here, I haven't bothered with private insurance and the couple of times I needed some check-up above and beyond what the GP could do, I was looking at about 4 weeks' worth of a wait. Mind you, my wife had to see a dermatologist in the US a couple of weeks ago and I was surprised that she got an appointment on Monday after calling them Friday afternoon...

Floridared

I live in Tampa Bay and I love it. I was never one for the sun, too uncomfortable for me, so it took a few years to get anywhere near used to it. But there's something about waking up in the sunshine nearly every day that makes you feel better. Organising things to do outside nearly always goes off well. So if it's weather you are looking for, then Fla has it. I work just as hard here as I did in the UK, but then I'm self employed and always have been, so its never worried me. Holidays? I'm 5 miles from the beach!!

Dan725

Good luck with it all. Lakewood Ranch is not too far from where we are (about 25-30 mins south) - seems to be a nice development, albeit it very "Stepford" like. Beaches at Bradenton and Sarasota are very nice, so I'm sure you'll get plenty of time in on them.

If you are coming on an E2, you are far braver than I think I'd ever be...especially right now with the recession in full swing, but all the best with your business.

Tannedsilk

Best wishes to you and yours. I have been here five years now and I would say it took me about 2 years to really feel settled.

I have not read the entire thread, just the first few posts and they were not very encouraging. My advice is get involved in your local community, volunteer at your kids school etc. You will meet lots of people and I sure you can take it from there.

I just discovered this forum and I'm kind of glad I did not find it earlier.

TimNiceBut

Interesting perspective - I've been aware of this forum since the days when there was a two-way feed into Usenet and I would still say it's one of the best forums for (e|i)mmigration advice.

Unfortunately that charter doesn't include telling people what they want to hear but then again, I don't think I've ever got bad advice on this forum. Just shouting "yeah, do it" and not mentioning the potential pitfalls, of which there are many, doesn't really sound like a forum I'd want to visit.

YMMV.

megalaser

Good luck, what great news. I am sorry to say there can be so much negativity on this forum, all anyone has to do is say they are either moving to or want to move to Florida and people jump down their throats with all the negativity. I moved to Orlando from the UK one year ago and it has been fantastic, Florida is a wonderful place, so congratulations to you.

Elvira

There is a mega-huge difference between someone going out on an L1 visa, compared to a family risking everything on an E2.

Florida_Brit

Hello

I have just subscribed to this forum just to answer your question, so here goes.

We moved to The Preserve in Greenbrook Village, Lakewood Ranch. We brought a house there at the peak in 2006 and moved from England in Nov 2006.

We moved across on a L1 Visa - me, my Wife and 2 kids aged 4 and 2 (at the time)

Lakewood Ranch was like nothing we expected. I tried and tried to make new American friends, I invited them round for BBQ's, get togethers, you name it.... but not once in 18 months did any of them come round. Yes they were all very friendly in the street and would stop to talk to me, but getting them round to socialise was a completely different story.

The streets around us were like ghost towns, no children playing, no one to be seen, only the occasional jogger as dusk approached. If you have ever watched Stepford Wives - then this is Lakewood Ranch.

We were lucky in that our neighbours were from Luton and became really good friends with them. They had 2 teenage kids who went to Lakewood Ranch High School, they had a sherrif on site to try and control the drug problem. (I am not moaning, just stating facts here).



HEALTHCARE

We had healthcare with Aetna and had the top package which cost us $1500 per month for a family of four.

We have now moved back to England as my Wife missed her family.

Now don't get me wrong, Lakewood Ranch is a beautiful place to look at, lakes, immaculate landscaping etc etc, but given our time again we would have chosen an older more established community, and probably somwhere that wasn't so "stepford wives" type place.

I hope that has helped (good or bad) - let me know if there is anything else you want help with, I will do my best.

anotherlimey

Everyone has that problem for some reason.

Bob

And pointing out pitfalls when some things seem seriously misunderstood can only help make a more informed decision, this goes for anyone moving anywhere in the US, not just Florida.

But the OP has buggered off, so whatever.