[snikeris]

Nearly 2 in 5 Americans are covered by Medicare or Medicaid. TANSTAAFL. The other 3 bear the burden. At some point Atlas shrugs and decides welfare is a better deal.

[o11c]

The amount of money the US Government pays just for that 40% should be enough to cover all 100%. We know this is possible because it happens in other countries, which have shorter waits and more coverage since that talking point keeps being brought up despite collapsing in the face of reality.

[refurb]

> The amount of money the US Government pays just for that 40% should be enough to cover all 100%

This is true as long as the following changes are made: 1) wages for healthcare workers are scalled back ~50%, 2) many drugs and medical procedures are not longer covered (a good example is CAR-T for cancer or drugs for rare diseases).

[peter422]

The quality of health care in the US is significantly higher than anywhere else in the world.

Whether that quality is necessarily (or good) is debatable, but we are getting something for the money.

You also are just completely wrong in your main point. We cannot provide the same efficacy of healthcare as we are now for 60% less. We are the richest country in the world, labor costs more here than other places.

[denkmoon]

In Australia 5 out of 5 people are covered by Medicare, and 5 of them bear the burden. (at some point in their life. assuming they become a tax payer, which seems likely for most.)

[sien]

On top of that, 53% pay for Private Health Care as well.

https://www.health.gov.au/topics/private-health-insurance/re...

On top of that many things that are 'not urgent' you have to pay for yourself.

I have recently paid over 20K for back surgery. Prior to the back surgery I could barely walk. This was deemed 'not urgent' and had I would have had to have waited at least 18 months for surgery via Medicare.

I also have private health cover.

So, it's important for non-Australians to understand, our health system is far from a panacea where taxes pay for everything.

Currently 778 K Australians are waiting for 'elective surgery' .

https://www.aihw.gov.au/hospitals/topics/elective-surgery

[antonymoose]

What percentage of Australian society is net-positive tax payer? That’s your real number, not this pretend 5 out of 5 as you claim.

[prawn]

More info on Australia from a quick search.

  - Public hospital birth is about $0-1k USD.
  - Private hospital with health insurance: $2-3k USD
  - Private without insurance: typically up to $13k USD

Private health insurance is nowhere near $40k here. Can be down around US$100/mo for a single or US$300ish/mo for a family, depending on inclusions.

[AstroBen]

The burden of this isn't a big one to bear. I just compared tax rates for a $65k USD income in Australia vs the US. You'd be taxed ~$800 less in Australia.

[JKCalhoun]

I guess your health industry is not raping you with outrageous costs?

[vkou]

Weird, I've seen a lot more people bitch about welfare and how easy people on the dole have it, than actually give up their nice jobs and lifestyles to go try living it.

[matmo]

I don't think the critique is that "welfare is objectively preferable" to a high paying career, but rather that the effort:reward ratio isn't scalable to society at large (without some level of social cohesion, I guess).

[tialaramex]

It was likewise striking how few of America's slave owners thought that slavery was such a sweet deal that they should be enslaved. It's not always true, but it should always give you pause if you find yourself insisting that other people have it too good and yet you've been careful to ensure that you'd never have to trade places...

[gdulli]

Fortunately, a good number of people in the 3 of 5 population have the imagination to see that they or people they love will someday be in the 2 of 5 population.