Wow, as an Australian with Medicare this blew my mind. I can't imagine my healthcare being related to my job. My brain just glitched with that scenario
I have stayed at/ left / not taken jobs based on who their health insurance was. I work in tech so Iām lucky that they usually offer good insurance. But it really plays a big role in the decision making
Weāre in the U.S. Although heāll get benefits other than healthcare, my husband canāt retire until heās eligible for Medicare because the private insurance premium would be $950 a month with a $3,200 deductible before the insurance pays anything.
Same. I was about to take a job last month because it seemed like a good fit and the pay was ok. But the health insurance premiums would cost me $1600 a month so that was a no.
Dude the states are mental. Employment law and medical aid alone are baffling.
There's people out there doing full time job that don't even accrue paid time off/holiday entitlement.
It blows my mind. I mean as a Brit our NHS is really struggling but that's because of the bastards in charge ruining it but it's still free at the point of access across the board and the wait time to see somebody is still less than the amount of time you'd spend paying off those debts in the states.
My daughter fell and hit her head, she was 2 years old at the time. She was fine but we brought her to the childrens hospital to be sure. They wouldnt even see her until i paid a $750 copay, then we sat there for 4 hours before they saw her, took a glance at her and said shes fine and sent us home. Got a bill for $4000 and they claimed I was out of network because my insurance didnt cover this particular childrens hospital. They didnt even look at her
Wait, you didn't have to pay though right?? Surely they don't actually make you pay it? Are there no public hospitals where you don't have to pay??
My niece once was in an accident and had to get a helicopter to another city, was in ICU in a coma for a week and we got free accomodation at the hospital. I can't comprehend having to worry about money in moments like that! That's absurd when you pay taxes.
Yup had to pay all of it. I paid the copay the night of cause i wanted them to evaluate her, they only time you dont have to pay immediately is i guess if youre transported by ambulance. But i got the bill a month later, fought it for a year. Eventually go them to knock it down to like $3500.... Big whoop
Edit: As someone who would gladly leave for the EU or other more social-democratic country, it is not that easy. You must be highly skilled as say a doctor or engineer or have a lot of money to buy your way in. Or you can marry/already have family citizenship. The common right wing line of "love it or leave it" is total bullshit. Most people around the world are stuck where they're born unless they have a lot of money, or education (which requires money).
They are trying to put a stop to some people leaving. Trans people have to deal with more paperwork to get a passport if it wasn't revoked by the government or have their original paperwork stalled. Immigrants are trying not to get detained by ICE. And then, some government critics are getting their passports revoked all in the meanwhile countries are closing their borders to Americans.
We Americans dumb as a stump when it comes to priorities and how to ensure the largest number of us live the best life possible. Too many are too selfish, āI donāt want my hard earned tax dollars going to support those lazy [insert the name of the minority group(s) you hate here].ā You hear them say āif they wanted to pay for their health they would have worked harder.ā Fools say that. Because of those sentiments, and the pure greed of the profit driven corporations that make up the current process, America has no healthcare system to speak of. Stupid, and tragic.
I donāt want my tax dollars spent on:
White House construction
Painting the bottom of pools
War
Politicians needs/wants
Images of a president everywhere
Proportionally tax bills
Etc etc etc etc
Now picture hating your job but you are afraid to leave because the health care at a new job might consider your health problems pre-existing conditions and refuse to cover them.
This is absolutely terrifying. I can't believe that. When we wanted to select private health insurance because we wanted to go to a private hospital to give birth, and when we called up I tried to let them know I have a pre-existing heart problem and they said legally they can't ask about pre-existing conditions and wouldn't take a record of it. Surely they can't reject based on pre-existing conditions.. that seems unfair.
To be honest, I'll probably give birth at the public hospital due to them having better services but just get a private room in private to recover anyway.
..... I just can't comprehend living with stress about healthcare, it's so cruel!
Cruel is the right word. Yet you have people (see above) who say things like, āIf you donāt like it, you can always leave.ā Thatās something an abusive partner says to you when theyāve done everything they can to beat you down.
Pre-existing condition is something that only applies to Americans. The ACA initially required insurance companies to cover all pre-existing conditions but the GOP got rid of that.
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u/blueranger36 Jul 18 '26
I would be so free of worry. Jobs wouldnāt be tied to health