Questions for our American friends

[HugoHackenbush]

I was self-employed for over 25 years, and bought my own health insurance as a consequence. What would happen is that a company would give me a low-ball rate just to sign me up. They would then raise the rate every year until it became unaffordable, and then I would switch companies who again, would give me a low ball rate. I probably went through four or five companies before I was hired for a different job, and now I have insurance through the employer. Very good coverage, for which I pay half, around $750 a month. No way could I afford this paying it 100% myself.

A lot of people hate Obamacare, but it saved my friends life. He had stage four cancer. The experimental drug he was given was $15,000 a month. No way he affords that without insurance. His cancer is now in remission and he is alive today. As he will tell you, he voted against Obama twice.

Part of the problem is the exorbitant prices charged. I had outpatient surgery a few years back. In and out in about 4-5 hours. The charge was $30,000. Since my share was 20% I had to pay $6,000 of it. I'm sure the insurance company scaled the price down considerably, but I did not have that option. I made payments over time.

[SanteeFats]

Well supposedly a lot of the blame for the high medical costs can be laid at the feet of uninsured and illegal immigrants. There are many laws in place dictating that all be given care no matter their circumstances or lack of coverage.
Just posting not advocating so don't excoriate me please.

[Mal Hombre]

"Excoriate" ? You're one o' them there East coast intellectuals,Ain't Ya ? One o'tha ee-lite?

[bombermouse]

Originally Posted by Mal Hombre

"Excoriate" ? You're one o' them there East coast intellectuals,Ain't Ya ? One o'tha ee-lite?

No, that means he used to be a Coriate.

[SanteeFats]

Originally Posted by Mal Hombre

"Excoriate" ? You're one o' them there East coast intellectuals,Ain't Ya ? One o'tha ee-lite?

No I am a West coast slum lord.

[bombermouse]

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

No I am a West coast slum lord.

Attaboy!

[SanteeFats]

Ah shit I forgot ONE small thing I live in that slum.

[bombermouse]

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

Ah shit I forgot ONE small thing I live in that slum.

Hey, nobody's perfect.

[Toetapper]

Thanks, you guys; first laugh-out-loud moment I've had for a bit. Unexpected at 7:30 AM.

Now, wait, what was the question...?

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by palo5

The US government takes $3.9 trillion in taxes? Really??

Last I heard it took about half that, and I'm not taking Trump's tax cuts into account. Since when did the Federal Government take $3.9 trillion in tax? Are you confusing total US tax revenue with Federal taxes?

Concerning "defense" spending, I'm not just referring to what they give the Pentagon -- no educated person would. They hide a lot of spending in R&D and other budgets

I just checked the Congressional Budget Office charts for 2016. The federal government spent $3.9 trillion that year and collected $3.3 trillion for a $600 billion loss funded by bond sales. For the record, Social Security and Medicare cost $1.5 trillion and the tax collections for those programs were $1.1 trillion, accounting for $400 billion of the loss. Throw in the $368 billion for Medicaid and you have most of the deficit.

Veterans pensions and other benefits are buried in other categories. So, total military related expenses exceed the reported $584 billion, but are certainly less than the retirement and medical benefits that account for nearly half the budget. But, again, those programs have their own revenue stream, which covers 73% of the cost.

My mom died at the age of 90 last year, which will help a little. She was costing the taxpayers about $3,000 a month. My World War II vet, 92 year old dad is still consuming revenue well in excess of the actuarial assumptions.

The really big drivers of the deficit are as follows:

1) Medical costs have risen at a far greater rate than inflation and GDP growth.

2) Better medical care has allowed people to live much longer than was expected when their Social Security and Medicare contributions were collected.

3) There are many give aways to corporations and many ways for dishonest folks to cheat the government. This results in excess spending and shortfalls in revenue collections.

palo5, the United States is moving into the category occupied by Italy and Greece as far as debt to GDP ratio. Trump's tax giveaway to the rich only accelerates our fiscal deterioration.

Two other observations, 1) individual taxpayers are the source of over 90% of federal revenue and 2) contrary to rhetoric, the United States is one of the world's most lightly taxed nations.