"And how will you be paying those firemen when they arrive?"
We actually have a sale this week. One free resuscitation with every house fire and electrical fires are half price!
Got the feeling this wasn't an accident? Special rates on homocide investigations!
Dialing 911 saves lives and money!
Call now!
How about if it looks like an electrical fire but turns out to be me setting fire to the carpet? Do I have to pay the other 50%?
Do you have payment plans via credit card? Is there any other incentives? I could do with some steak knives......but wait....there's more. I could also use a slice'n'dice.
Seriously, over here ANYONE can go to ANY public hospital in ANY medical situation and receive free treatment and medication for the duration of their stay, including any surgery and prostheses. Of course, there are waiting lists for elective surgery and minor conditions in the ER, but if you're seriously ill you will be seen and treated immediately. All you need is your Medicare card or number, which can be provided later.
If anyone is interested in how a good (but not flawless of course) public health system works visit
The cost is 1.5% of your taxable income, which you only pay if you earn more than $15000 per year. If you earn more than $150000 per year and do not have private health insurance, you pay 2.5%.
Prescription medicine costs $5.90 per script if you are below a certain income (~$20k IIRC) or have children and only one income (less than $50k) or have a disability or ilness etc. Figures change from year to year. Once you reach 50 scripts in a year the rest are free. Considering I have one script which normally costs $290 a time (once a month) it makes a big difference. Whilst I may not be paying huge amounts of tax right now, I did so for many years, and hardly used medical services, so it isn't all "free".
I can also see any private doctor I like and not have to be out of pocket, with some exceptions for specialists and surgeons where a small gap is payable.
We have a mental health program that provides 12 free private psychiatric or psychology sessions per year, and a similar program providing 6 free physical therapy sessions.
Many other forms of assistance exist, including dental.
Does it mean that, to some degree, that the wealthy subsidise the less wealthy? Yes, but the wealthy have generally better accountants who can limit their liability, as the Medicare levy is based on taxable income rather than gross income, so they pay less tjan what they should in many cases.
I believe, and will always believe, that a society should be judged ny how well it treats its most vulnerable members. I believe the USA has a lot to learn in this regard.
I also think skiny is right on many points, with my favorite being the chances of the Obama (non racist) haters here needing medical treatment and insisting on paying cash and not using Obamacare. Ha! Right.
The USA has one big problem....the insurance companies run the show, and are judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to your health. No doubt, some pen pushing number cruncher on the 79th floor decides several times a day whether someone they've never met lives or dies. Death by calculator. How the supporters of such a disgraceful situation can sleep at night I have no idea.