Obviously not an American, but I was curious about how much I'd have to pay for healthcare if I lived in the U.S. but what a fucking rort. Apparently I'd be eligible for $15 per week of support from the PPACA (using my $30,000 AUD income as USD income) but a silver plan without support is fucking $66 per week? So I'd still have to pay $51 each week? And then the bronze plans are $33 per week? And Americans are required by law to have healthcare else pay a fine?
Like shit if I got healthcare here, the cheapest plan (which has both hospitals and some extras coverage) would only cost me $18 per week, a 'comprehensive' plan would cost me $31 per week and the most expensive plan available ~ultra health cover~ is $69 per week. And like the excess (the part you pay when you make an insurance claim) on those is only $500, or they can have an excess of $250 instead for like an extra $3 per week. I'm not saying all of that to make you's feel bad but where the hell does the money you's pay for health insurance even go? I don't think 'greedy capitalists and markets and profits blah' is an acceptable response as our optional healthcare here is provided by the private market too.
Yeah... Obamacare basically just uses the taxpayers to subsidize healthcare across the board. Having so many people pay into the system allows for really low monthly payments. Most private insurance is $100+ a month, so it isn't necessarily a bad deal.
That said, it's a far cry from a state-funded single-payer system.
How the hell is like at least $132 per month for a bronze plan considered really low monthly payments? That's really expensive. I'm on $30,000 per year and I still struggle to justify paying even $18.60 per week for basic hospital and extras (eg dental) insurance with $250 excess, but Americans have to pay at least $33 per week (at least if they live in California and have my income assuming $1AUD-$1USD) and they are legally required to or else pay a fine.
Because our healthcare market is ridiculously inflated. I know you don't want to accept greed as the reason, but there's really not much more to it. Our healthcare companies have literally made medical bills completely unaffordable if you don't have healthcare.
You know what really sucks is I'm stuck on a catastrophic plan (bottom tier) because the insurance agency didn't make it clear that Obamacare only worked with bronze and up, and that I couldn't re-enroll until next November. So instead of paying ~13 for a bronze plan through Obamacare, I've been paying $131 a month for dirt awful insurance and can't do a thing but wait 'till November.
What do the bronze-platinum plans even cover, because apparently they only cover stuff that is considered essential?
So how's it going guys?
We got a new modern ac unit
It's nice but it cost us 9k so now we're 9k in debt
[QUOTE=BeAR!);48450469]where can I buy a cheap urban bike? Craigslist has given me nothing so far and I'm assuming most bicycle shops probably dont stock anything for under $150? Only going to be in the US for a year so dont wanna spunk loadsa money on it[/QUOTE]
I hope you're going to live in a major city, else a bike isn't going to cut it for you. A car would be a better investment, or a taxi service, even if it's for a year.
Just came back from a short weekend visit to see some family in Brooklyn, and I've noticed something that I dislike about the subway in DC - although it's nice that the stations are generally clean, laid out well, and have air conditioning, they're boring compared to what I've seen in Boston and NYC. You'll never run into musicians on the platforms, and while the design is pretty nice, it all looks the same no matter where you are. I love the quirks in other systems, like tiled walls that spell out the name of the station, weird multi-level line interchanges, and unique station entrances.
Also, it finally hit me on this trip that I hate Manhattan. It's overwhelmingly busy, often gross as hell, and really fucking expensive.
[QUOTE=erfinjerfin;48475316]Just came back from short weekend visit to see some family in Brooklyn, and I've noticed something that I dislike about the subway in DC - although it's nice that the stations are generally clean, laid out well, and have air conditioning, they're boring compared to what I've seen in Boston and NYC. You'll never run into musicians on the platforms, and while the design is pretty nice, it all looks the same no matter where you are. I love the quirks in other systems, like tiled walls that spell out the name of the station, weird multi-level line interchanges, and unique station entrances.
Also, it finally hit me on this trip that I hate Manhattan. It's overwhelmingly busy, often gross as hell, and really fucking expensive.[/QUOTE]
At least you guys even have public transportation. In St. Louis, our 'metro' system consists of a fleet of buses and some shitty light trains. Every plan to extend the MetroLink system to the suburbs was shot down because the extension would allow people to easily commute from East St. Louis, which has some of the highest crime in the area. No one would dare suggest an extension nowadays with the Ferguson riots still in the headlines.
[QUOTE=Cheshire_cat;48475391]At least you guys even have public transportation. In St. Louis, our 'metro' system consists of a fleet of buses and some shitty light trains. Every plan to extend the MetroLink system to the suburbs was shot down because the extension would allow people to easily commute from East St. Louis, which has some of the highest crime in the area. No one would dare suggest an extension nowadays with the Ferguson riots still in the headlines.[/QUOTE]
Most of my family lives in St. Louis, and yeah, I'm amazed that such a large city can be so car-dependent. I noticed something similar in Philadelphia and DC with the limited boundaries for public transit. In DC, a good chunk of the northeast quadrant is inaccessible by train, and the same goes for the Anacostia neighborhood across the river in the southeast quadrant. Both areas have exceptionally high crime rates, so I doubt it's unintentional. In Philadelphia, the train that connects my college to center city passes right through West Philadelphia and makes its first stop at the edge of the rich suburbs. It's pretty discomforting that the systems are arranged this way.
[QUOTE=erfinjerfin;48475597]Most of my family lives in St. Louis, and yeah, I'm amazed that such a large city can be so car-dependent. I noticed something similar in Philadelphia and DC with the limited boundaries for public transit. In DC, a good chunk of the northeast quadrant is inaccessible by train, and the same goes for the Anacostia neighborhood across the river in the southeast quadrant. Both areas have exceptionally high crime rates, so I doubt it's unintentional. In Philadelphia, the train that connects my college to center city passes right through West Philadelphia and makes its first stop at the edge of the rich suburbs. It's pretty discomforting that the systems are arranged this way.[/QUOTE]
We have highways out the ass, though. Even downtown St. Louis has massive freeways passing through the heart of the city. That's why it was such a big deal when Highway 70 was shut down by protesters - it's one of the metro area's main arteries.
[QUOTE=BeAR!);48450469]where can I buy a cheap urban bike? Craigslist has given me nothing so far and I'm assuming most bicycle shops probably dont stock anything for under $150? Only going to be in the US for a year so dont wanna spunk loadsa money on it[/QUOTE]
did you find a bike?
also dont get a car that's terrible advice
I work in retail and we got our first Christmas trees this week.
:ohno:
Ordered pizza and the pizza delivery guy looked sort of like RJ Mitte.
That's all.
So how's the election looking on your ends?
:snip:
How many here can actually vote
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;48671111]How many here can actually vote[/QUOTE]
I definitely need to vote this time around.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;48671111]How many here can actually vote[/QUOTE]
I'm the first person in my family who has the right to vote so I'm always gonna exercise my right
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;48671111]How many here can actually vote[/QUOTE]
i can
whether i will or not depends on who the runners are.
too bad there isnt a single candidate worth voting for
vote in your primaries ya ding dongs
i dont have a primary to vote in
independent? something more radical?
[QUOTE=Kommodore;48675927]independent? something more radical?[/QUOTE]
Communist insurgency
independent
[QUOTE=Kommodore;48675328]vote in your primaries ya ding dongs[/QUOTE]
primaries are an overblown popularity contest.
isnt everything?
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