[Tyler_JC]

Well, how about it?

The overall US health care system works out to about 55% employer based/other private insurance, 15% Medicare, 15% Medicaid, and 15% uninsured.

I'm curious to see what the breakdown on Peakoil.com looks like.

The rest of the developed world has a national or socialized health care system so if you don't live in the United States, feel free to select the first option on the poll question.

Also, please respond with your satisfaction level. Please consider the cost you pay compared to the quality of care received.

Personally, I have access to great health care but it's extremely expensive. So overall my satisfaction level is a B.

I'm surrounded by one of the world's best health care service networks. If you had to pick a place to get sick, Boston would probably be near the top of your list. (assuming you could actually pay for the service, which is increasingly impossible for most people)

[davep]

I have private insurance. I live in France and work in Germany. I have finally found an insurance for French expats that allows my family back in France to be insured as well (with minimum paperwork). And it costs six times less than German insurance would have cost me, too.

It's worth an A in my book. The quality is very good too, and I can go back and get treatment in France if I have a serious problem. I dread the idea of being surrounded by strangers speaking forrin on my deathbed.

BTW, a lot of the healthcare in Europe is not socialised, and people have to pay into the system unless they're extremely poor. I think the UK is the only country in Europe to have fully socialised healthcare (but I'm prepared to be proven wrong on this).

[Ludi]

Private insurance paid for by me. Provided through the State Risk Pool, which insures people who otherwise couldn't get insurance. $5000 deductible. Co-pay on prescriptions. All doctor visits are out of pocket because I don't use up the deductible. Quality of care is fine because I see my own doctor. No dental or eye coverage. Forgot to say, I pay about $4000 a year.

[bratticus]

Missing option: COBRA

[Jotapay]

I've always had insurance through a corporate employer or else through my college (Uni of Texas @ Austin). I realize I'm very, very lucky.

Has anyone seen Sicko (Michael Moore documentary about American health care)? What do you think of it? I thought it highlighted problematic situations, but I have to be honest, I have not and nor has anyone in my family experienced hardship like what was described by the people in that documentary.

[AAA]

Insurance from employer.

Medical-PPO
Annual Deductible: $1,000
Max Out-of-Pocket: $4,000

Eye-$20 copay
No Charge for one year contacts/glasses

Dentist-$20 copay
No Charge for preventive care

.

[davep]

Oh, I forgot, mine is less than 500 euros per quarter.

[Ainan]

Hello davep, I also work in Germany. I have employers insurance. I think only UK employees don't get insurance at my company, not too sure how it works.

Can't say too much about the German system as I have never had to use it. The National Health Service in the UK is excellent. A lot of people complain but I've never had a problem or know anyone who has.

Only one minor thing, I have to pay £26 or near there for 2 fillings and an extraction, then fill out a form to get my money back!? Why charge me in the first place?

I think Dentistry is the only thing a working adult pays for, except for a pescription which is £6 or something. Oh and TV/Internet cards for those hospital TV/Internet browser in one screen things over your bed. Got to get me one of them...Oh and hospital parking, or can you get that back?

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ainan', 'H')ello davep, I also work in Germany. I have employers insurance. I think only UK employees don't get insurance at my company, not too sure how it works.

Can't say too much about the German system as I have never had to use it. The National Health Service in the UK is excellent. A lot of people complain but I've never had a problem or know anyone who has.

Only one minor thing, I have to pay £26 or near there for 2 fillings and an extraction, then fill out a form to get my money back!? Why charge me in the first place?

I think Dentistry is the only thing a working adult pays for, except for a pescription which is £6 or something. Oh and TV/Internet cards for those hospital TV/Internet browser in one screen things over your bed. Got to get me one of them...Oh and hospital parking, or can you get that back?

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cbxer55', 'C')urrently unemployed, so no insurance period.
And to boot, woke up Sunday morning with kidney stones again.
Hmmm, when I was a kid, my dads doctor prescribed a case of beer for that. Maybe I best get to the store and get some. LOL
Not today, got ice all over the roads. I do have a gallon of Yukon Jack., so I guess I'll be hitting that. So if my posts start getting incoherent, you'll know why!

[Tyler_JC]

No need to post exact financial details. That's personal stuff that isn't necessary for this exercise. Although if you want to shock British PeakOilers with the dollar amounts, feel free.

I'm trying to gauge how satisfied people are with their health care and where they get it from.

Obama came in promising a lot of health care reform and I'm curious if Europeans/Canadians/others with nationalized health care are more satisfied with the quality of their care, after factoring in what they pay for it.

Generally speaking, those who can afford the top gold-plated health plans in the United States have some of the best health outcomes in the world.

The problem is the tens of millions of people who lack any coverage at all. Not to mention the millions more with insufficient coverage.

It's a very unequal system that is nearing a breaking point in this economic downturn.

(I'm taking a class on Health Care in America this semester and I want to see what Peakoilers think about their situation)

[3aidlillahi]

I currently have two sources from where I get my health insurance/care. My mother is a nurse so they get fairly cheap health care as a worker. I'm also a student at UNC, which houses one of the best hospitals and med schools in the US. We receive a lot of free and highly subsidized stuff (visits, exams, vaccines, etc.).

I'd say A+. Then again, I've never had to use it. I'm very healthy and safe.

Speak to me in a year after I graduate and I'm sure I'll have a different opinion once I'm on my own.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')'m surrounded by one of the world's best health care service networks. If you had to pick a place to get sick, Boston would probably be near the top of your list.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('3aidlillahi', '
')And Mass Gen still can't prevent you from being taxed to death in MA.

[Bas]

I don't pay much under the mandatory insurance scheme we have here in Holland and I do get subsidized by the government for it. It's a semi free market, or semi socialized kind of system, there are still plenty or regulations though. Anyway I'm quite content with the care I get and what I see other people are getting, I don't think I'd like to see more market or more government, it's fine just the way it is.

[dunny]

In Australia medical treatment is 'free'. If you are a citizen or a permanent resident you just go to the hospital and stay until you are better and there is no bill for the treatment.

Paid for by taxes of course. If you earn more than AUS$50k you pay an additional levy of 1.5%. Rises to 2.5% unless you take out private health insurance.

People whinge about it a lot but in my experience the service is good.

Mick.

[vtsnowedin]

Another option your poll dosn't have. Retired state employee with full health insurance equal to current state employees for the WW and myself for life. They keep putting it out to bid and changing companys so the doctors office bills the wrong insurance company more often then not. PITA.
The union SEIU has kept the gold plated coverage for thirty years and given up everything including the kitchen sink to do it. Not once in thirty years did they negotiate a raise that was equal to much less exceeded the rate of inflation.But the doctors and lawyers kept movin on up.


The USA has the most expensive health care system in the world costing 17percent of GDP. I can't see why a revamped system should cost a dollar more. Take the money they are wasting on malpractice lawsuit avoidance and duplicate paperwork and pay for the things the uninsured don't buy now and be done with it. IF done even close to right it should cost a lot less then it does now.

[Tyler_JC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dunny', 'I')n Australia medical treatment is 'free'. If you are a citizen or a permanent resident you just go to the hospital and stay until you are better and there is no bill for the treatment.

Paid for by taxes of course. If you earn more than AUS$50k you pay an additional levy of 1.5%. Rises to 2.5% unless you take out private health insurance.

People whinge about it a lot but in my experience the service is good.

Mick.

[JoeW]

Roger that, Tyler. It's just too expensive. U. S. employers shell out anywhere from $10K to $20K/yr to cover an employee's family, and that's for coverage that has deductibles, co-pays, etc. I'm involved in my local government and it's ridiculous that it costs $20K/yr to cover the street workers' families, the police officers' families, etc.
These health insurance companies should throw us a bone. Cops deter violence. The street department keeps the roads safe. Sounds like a good thing for health insurers everywhere.

By the way, I think that American doctors and surgeons are probably the highest paid in the world. And the nurses, too. These are all noble professions... But the average doctor makes $300K/yr or somewhere in that neighborhood. Surgeons make over a million a year. Even a nurse can clear $100K. Forgot malpractice insurance. It's payroll that is breaking the bank in terms of health care costs.

I don't begrudge these people their paychecks. They earn it fair and square. But maybe we need to be telling more of our kids to become doctors, because we clearly need more of them.

[Pops]

No health insurance here, we'll use the emergency room method until there is something better.

Between the two of us we've visited a doc once in 25 years when Susan had blood poisoning.

In that time I'd estimate I paid an average of $250/month for health insurance for a total of $75,000 plus the co-pay for the one doctor visit of $30.

So I've paid $75,030. to the system and I fully believe I'll use that up in my last month.

See how equitable that is?

[PrairieMule]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'N')o health insurance here, we'll use the emergency room method until there is something better.