Welcome to the Utopia Forums! Register a new account
The current time is Thu Mar 28 11:58:16 2024

Utopia Talk / Politics / US South so poor UN calls it 3rd world
Habebe
Member
Thu Jan 30 20:37:45
http://www...-gets-united-nations-attention

It really is, total shit hole.
jergul
large member
Thu Jan 30 21:20:41
The irony of the article being written by an upaid intern.
Dukhat
Member
Thu Jan 30 22:00:25
Also the base of the GOP is here. Where poor white people keep voting for rich white people because the rich white people promise to keep the poor black people poorer than the poor white people.
Sam Adams
Member
Thu Jan 30 22:33:47
The funny thing is the US south still has more money than most of Europe.

The UK has similar per capita income to Alabama.

Hah.
Forwyn
Member
Thu Jan 30 22:53:28
Descendants of slaves in Jim Crow areas live in shit conditions.

Whodathunkit
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 10:22:48
The only draw I find skeptical os that they literally admit to equating correlation with causation.
patom
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:02:25
Sam Adams, they may have a similar per capita income but they still don't have universal health care, Hell most of them can't afford insurance.
patom
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:06:06
Sam Adams, googled your claim. Alabama per capita income is $26,500 per year. Great Britain $43,160 per year. Google is my friend
hood
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:17:58
patom, "close to double" is "similar" when all of your other predictions or guesses are wildly inaccurate.
Sam Adams
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:22:58
Patom, you are confusing mean and median.

And lol@the retard hood for believing that. Lol.
patom
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:27:08
Hell here in Maine the per capita is only $31K, because most of Maine is ultra Rural with little or no industry.

The South is not quite the shit hole it was when I first visited it in the early 60's when I was in the Navy. I was down there a couple of years ago visiting my brother in Myrtle beach and there is a distinct improvement over 60 years ago.

10 years ago I visited Philly and my cousins took me through their old neighborhood. Now that looked like a true shit hole.
kargen
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:27:51
Patom Alabama is but one state in the South. You are cherry picking. Louisiana is in the South and they come in at $43.917.
Mississippi is $31,881 (these are 2018 numbers) but other southern states are easily above $40,000.
Google can be your friend but only if you ask the correct question. You did not.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:28:22
Patom, Its not even just current income but long term things like infrastructure and yes. As you said healthcare, transportation.

Even buildimg codes, jave you seen the " houses" in the south? They look like african shacks, mostly tailors.

There is so little investment from the government on basic infrastructure on sewage, drainage, non highway roads ( the interstates are kept pretty well)

I sound like a Democrat down here asking for increased tax revenues, usury laws, building codes ( or rather incentives)

On here I may sound conservative, but im a Pennsylvania conservative...in the south in practically a socialist.
Sam Adams
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:30:07
Just a quick check of thd latest data when ensuring units are the same.

In 2016 MEAN per capita GDP was 37k in Alabama.

In 2017 MEAN per capita GDP was 39k in the UK.

Check your units kids.

Lol@retard hood.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:30:29
Kargen, Sam Adams actually refenced Alabama claiming it had higher income, Patom was just responding in this case.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:34:01
Patom, I lived in in Frankford for a few months, Philly is a shit hole....i grew up in Bucks county PA ( suburb oh Philly)

It's a whole different world.
hood
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:38:58
No, Sam, you stated a very specific measurement. Per capita income. This has a rigid, yet simple, definition. Per capita GDP is not per capita income. You may pull your head out of your ass quite easily, but that shot to your ego is likely too difficult to handle.
Seb
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:52:14
Oh here we go with the samstistics again.
Sam Adams
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:53:24
Retard hood, first off income and GDP numbers are nearly identical.

Lol retard hood secondly no matter what unit you choose, UK=Alabama, so long as units are the same.

Lol retard hood tried to compare obviously different units. Tardation confirmed.
Sam Adams
Member
Fri Jan 31 11:54:55
Lol seb is another retard that didnt realize mean and median were different.

Lol hood and seb, the axis of retards who make basic mistakes.
kargen
Member
Fri Jan 31 12:00:17
Oops, guess I fucked up. Went back and looked and yeah Sam did mention Alabama specifically.
Seb
Member
Fri Jan 31 12:00:51
Sam, it was I that pointed out you were mixing the two up.

At one point you were comparing Alabama median household income with UK median disposable household income.

In any case median income isn't that great a comparator given structural differences (health care being a prime one).


It's transparently obvious that Alabama has a much lower standard of living than the UK average (median or mean).
Sam Adams
Member
Fri Jan 31 12:10:28
Fact: The income stats between the UK and Alabama are nearly identical.

Hood: "not if i confuse median and mean"

Seb: "not only will i also confuse median and mean, i will also make up a pretend stat that isnt true"
Sam Adams
Member
Fri Jan 31 12:12:43
Lol the retardarion of plebs is hilarious. Hood and seb, making the most fundamental basic mistakes routine.

Lulz.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 12:37:33
http://www...villeonline.com/amp/2500221002

Income isnt everything. On quality of life the south sucks.

Admittedly I may be a bit spoiled coming from a place not only had decent income but has been well off for a long time.


Seb
Member
Fri Jan 31 12:51:11
Sam, you literally started this thread talking about incomes, then switched to mean GDP per capita.

Post your income stats and sources.
Seb
Member
Fri Jan 31 12:53:23
Household income of course depends on demography.

I suspect the uk is older so many households have lower incomes (pension) but own assets (houses) worth substantially more than many in Alabama.
hood
Member
Fri Jan 31 13:16:24
Sam: "The UK has similar per capita income to Alabama."

This is a direct quote, mind you. It is exactly what he said.

Facts:
Alabama per capita income (the figure same cited): $26,498.
Source: https://www.deptofnumbers.com/income/alabama/
UK per capita income: $42,986
Source: https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/gdp-per-capita
**Note: UK number in US dollars, specified at link.

A non-brain-damaged individual: "oh, yeah, I said the wrong thing. I meant this other thing that's kinda similar."
Sam: "LOL YOU'RE SO RETARDED HERE LET ME PROVIDE THE -completely different metric than the one previously stated- NUMBERS. LOLRETARDAHAHAHAHA"


How damaged is your psyche that you cannot even admit to simply citing the wrong statistic, Sam?
hood
Member
Fri Jan 31 13:22:07
I think Sam calls for a new mental disorder: Brain Dysmorphia. It's where your brain thinks it's something different than it actually is and cannot cope with its current state.

Or is this just plain old delusion?
Seb
Member
Fri Jan 31 13:46:11
Hood, "but he meant median!"
hood
Member
Fri Jan 31 13:48:12
Maybe co-median. But his critical thinking skills aren't funny either, just sad in an apathetic way.
patom
Member
Fri Jan 31 14:46:21
Habebe, I to grew up in Bucks County, Penndel to be specific. I used to catch the B Bus to the Frankford El and that to center city to see movies when I was a kid. I lived down there till I was 41. Every time I have been back it is for fewer days as I can't stand the crowds and constant traffic.
The only thing I miss is a few friends and some of the food. To counter the food, I can buy lobster and scallops right off the boat for a hell of a lot less than you pay.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 15:03:10
Paton, Small world, I grew up in Perkasie ( pennridge) so think like, Quakertown, Doylestown, souderton, area. ( middle bucks)

I lived right on Frankford Ave in Philly. It was a shit hole, but to be honest I kinda liked it, great transportation, mom n pop shops everywhere... A great place to get back on your feet.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 15:06:38
I miss PA solo much....the South has its charms...the good is terrible, the biscuits are good, chicken is just as good up north.

But it's almost all fast food over here, and the markets suck, there is one local farmwrs market that is ok , it so limited....its a very walmart culture.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 15:35:28
Good=food
Seb
Member
Fri Jan 31 16:28:31
Hood:

I don't wish to bore you with the details but Sam believes there is such a thing as median per capita income.

And there sort of is: he alighted on a stat that appeared to be looking at household income per capita (so essentially dividing household income by adult population of the household and taking the median of that).

But the numbers associated with the stat didn't correspond to any he quoted.

Samstistics is a rabbit hole I recommend not going down.

patom
Member
Fri Jan 31 17:40:15
Habebe, my Aunt and Uncle had a store on Frankfort Ave. when I was a kid. I can still remember all us boys trying to sleep in the front bedroom 20' from the Frankfort El. I worked at Reedman's in Langhorne for 7 years after I got out of the Navy.

I found a small eatery outside Myrtle Beach with great food. The owner was from Philly.

Southern cuisine leaves a hell of a lot to be desired. You can't buy real mashed potatoes in a restaurant. Green beans all get cooked with a chunk of pork. Hell, all the years I drove truck down south I survived on Hamburger steak. One of the few things most truck stops couldn't fuck up.
Forwyn
Member
Fri Jan 31 18:12:42
Alabama median income is significantly higher than that of the UK.

But probably should have said median, not per capita. /shrug
hood
Member
Fri Jan 31 18:20:06
Sam even said he meant mean, not median:

"In 2016 MEAN per capita GDP was 37k in Alabama.
In 2017 MEAN per capita GDP was 39k in the UK."


And that wasn't even bothering to make fun over his "check your units" bullshit. Money per person is the unit. The difference is not in units, but in calculation. But yes, this amounts to little more than Sam saying the wrong thing and being paralyzingly unable to admit he used the wrong measure in his offhand comment.
Rugian
Member
Fri Jan 31 18:25:39
"this amounts to little more than ___ saying the wrong thing and being paralyzingly unable to admit he used the wrong measure in his offhand comment"

Hi, Utopia Politics here. Nice to meet you.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 19:09:49
Patom, I mean I like southern dishes....although yes it leaves a lot desired but you dont even see that here. In PA there was an italian, chinese, deli or even a dinner on every block, down here it's mostly chain stores and fast food....I live aroumd Florence SC, and I ha e founs a place Stefanos that's good for Italian
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 19:10:07
Patom, I mean I like southern dishes....although yes it leaves a lot desired but you dont even see that here. In PA there was an italian, chinese, deli or even a dinner on every block, down here it's mostly chain stores and fast food....I live aroumd Florence SC, and I ha e founs a place Stefanos that's good for Italian
chuck
Member
Fri Jan 31 19:37:56
"Even buildimg codes, jave you seen the " houses" in the south? They look like african shacks, mostly tailors."

Quick, spot the guy who has never been to the south!

The south has building codes just like everywhere else. If you're going by "where do the majority of people actually live", you're gonna get a mix of 1920s style Craftsmen and Victorian homes in historic districts (and analagous rundown versions elsewhere), shotgun style houses (both refurnished for yuppies and run down) 1950s cinderblock postage stamps, 1960s ranches and split levels, and modern McMansions.

Go a little further out and a bit more impoverished and you're still much more likely to find a trailer park than a lean-to.
Habebe
Member
Fri Jan 31 21:55:21
Chuck, I live in SC.
Sam Adams
Member
Fri Jan 31 22:22:02
"Sam even said he meant mean, not median"

Negative. Sam just wants you to compare two variables with the same unit, like a non-retard.

Lol its hilarious that both seb and hood compare one mean measurement with anthother median measurement and then wonder why they are wrong all the time.
Seb
Member
Sat Feb 01 02:54:37
Nobody has done that Sam. The only figure you've posted is mean per capita GDP, which tells you little, given how GDP works. Part of the reason you've got these poverty stricken bits of the US is structural inequality. You were right to go with median. But no median figures have been produced by you.
patom
Member
Sat Feb 01 04:27:19
Habebe, do yourself a favor and actually go look at some of the trailers. They are nothing like the trailers of the 50s-70s. My brother bought a new one that is huge inside.

You won't find diners like we had in Philly area.

BTW have gone to any of the races at Darlington? I went a couple of years ago. My first race there was in 70.
jergul
large member
Sat Feb 01 04:39:02
Microhomes are the new trailors I think.

The Tv pitches for them always irritate me. Reinventing trailors to bring back the square footage of the 1930s trailors does not seem like much of an advance to brag about.
Seb
Member
Sat Feb 01 06:02:26
It's better from a carbon perspective sure, I'm just not convinced it works economically: I suspect the relative system efficiencies would make steam reformation win out.

There is also a huge benefit in switching the gas infrastructure to pure H2 in that it will remove a huge amount of emissions by forcing a change away from combustion for domestic heat, and can be done without needing to find a primary energy source equivalent to that in the Ng.

So I think it might be an incredibly effective means of rapidly phasing out a huge slice of emissions. All gas would now be being burned centrally, facilitating capture.

That said, huge asterisk over long term storage I'll grant.

Habebe
Member
Sat Feb 01 06:11:25
Patom, The new trailers look nicer, are more comfortable then they used to be. My issue is more quality. They are still flimsy, they really don't last with out significany upkeep.

I grew up in a house that's over a 100 years old and seemed sturdier and of higher quality.

The great thing about a house is that its something you leave your kids, thats a huge transfer of wealth.If each generation has to start from scratch I think that's gonna increase the chances of poverty.

I would be very interested to see stats on net worth inheritance by region.

As for the races I have not been.My brother occasionally works there though as an on site fire fighter though. I live 7 miles away.



patom
Member
Sat Feb 01 08:52:25
Habebe, actually the quality of the trailers is a hell of a lot better than the old flimsy trailers of old. Very well insulated.
Even back in the 80's when I delivered heating oil for a winter. I had a customer in Topsfield Maine that only used about 250 gallons the whole winter. They kept their trailer toasty warm. The 100 year old house I owned in Calais burned 900 to 1000 gal per winter.

The new factory manufactured homes today are super well insulated. The Canadian ones are so tight that they require air exchangers. They are also a lot squarer than most stick built houses. Everything built on jigs.

The problem with Florence and the region down there is so much low lands subject to flooding. Trying to find a piece of ground well above any flood waters that's reasonable in price isn't easy.

That storm you guys had last year fucked things up royally in a big areal all that water had to come down through North and South Carolina. Took forever to drain. My brothers trailer in N. Myrtle Beach was plenty high but he had to get out and couldn't get back for over 2 weeks.

I'd much rather have my house burn to the ground than go through another flood. Been there done that in Pennsylvania with my mothers house.
Sam Adams
Member
Sat Feb 01 11:05:20
Seb

All the numbers are similar so long as you check your units like a big boy.

i see the UK reports median household after income tax at 29k pounds.

Alabama reports median household income at 48k dollars.

Given an exchange rate of 1.3 in your favor and an estimated income tax of 15% for a plebian household in alabama, these numbers are similar.
Sam Adams
Member
Sat Feb 01 11:09:27
In conclusion, living in the uk or living in alabama would both suck.

No mountains, a lackluster economy, and retards all over the place. You merely trade free speech hating social justice whiners in one place for religious retards in another.

How depressing.
Habebe
Member
Sat Feb 01 11:46:30
Well, I'll agree that flooding is a huge issue ( see my my thread "FEMA")

My house in Perkasie was so old it had horse hair in the plaster.

I have high hopes for these printed houses.


I just see the south stuck in a rut of perpetual poverty ( relative) and it's frustrating.

Now I'm no economist but I personally see a hand full of things that could go a long way to ending that. SC actually jas been on the rise especially in manufacturing.

1. The housing issue...inheriting a house is a great way to build family wealth imo and families building wealth over generations in my experience is how real wealth is built. This may have a personal bias with me but housing is definitley a major issue for the US poor.

2. I see a lack of quality tradesmen. I think our society on a whole downplays these n favor of college. That said I know plenty of garage door installers, plumbers and electricians etc. That are paid much more than many modern college graduates. I myself was a millright and that jas dome my family well literally like 1/3 of my family has worked as a millright ( my uncles owned universal millrights)

The one thing I noticed down here is that most schools in high school do not offer vo tech as part of homeschool, which is a shame.

Id like to see that implemented as well as encourage apprenticeship from the vo tech.

3. Infrastructure, as you said flooding is a huge issue, the state needs better infrastructure ...they do however have a cool program of the state offering entry level jobs for road work.

4. Usury laws, I used to be against these until ive seen it play out down here keeping poor people in perpetual debt.

5. Better education/ funding in general its mostly funded by the lottery because property taxes are real low....im conflicted on how to go about this.
Habebe
Member
Sat Feb 01 11:49:07
Also there is a lot less help for the.poor down here. With one exception the Church down here is much more influential and while they dont offer as much food, job training, clothing etc. They are much smaller and tight knit groups that will go out of there way to help each other.
Seb
Member
Sat Feb 01 13:17:20
Sam:

That's median household disposable income.

Which is after income tax, national insurance and council tax if you want to check your definitions with ONS.

Which you've compared to Alabaman household income before tax.

So yes, comparable numbers like a big boy.

Maybe ask nanny to change your nappy.

Seb
Member
Sat Feb 01 13:20:53
Also you've picked a figure - household income - which is likely to conflate demographic issues.

E.g. proportion of pensioners etc. ignores housing costs Vs ownership; nor reflect healthcare costs which probably ought to be deducted of you want a comparable baseline, given the proportion of household expenditure it consumes.
Seb
Member
Sat Feb 01 13:23:49
"I shall pick two numbers that are entirely different, and then use a parameter of my own choosing without any real credible case for picking it, and declare that it makes the first two numbers comparable! For my next trick, I shall determine whether a linear or quadratic formula is the best fit to two lines with no constraints. Anyone who disagrees with my choice is an idiot!"

Samstistics at its finest.
Seb
Member
Sat Feb 01 13:24:36
"there are no mountains in the UK".
Sam Adams
Member
Sat Feb 01 13:30:11
"Which you've compared to Alabaman household income before tax. "

Apperently subtracting alabama typical tax rates, which i provided, is hard for you.

Lol. Seriously you need to have your hand held to adjust a pretax rate to a post tax rate when the approximate tax rate is known?

And you used to be in science?

Rofl!!!!!

I understand why you failed.
patom
Member
Sat Feb 01 13:46:44
Sam, how many in Alabama have health insurance coverage? I'm pretty sure every citizen in GB has health care coverage.
Seb
Member
Sat Feb 01 14:19:37
Sam:

I'm assuming you don't know what national insurance and council tax are - those cover specific services.

And of course, as Patom points out, healthcare costs.

And your treatment is beyond sloppy for comparison purposes - household income means you've no real idea what tax applies - very different if it's a sole earner or two people on equal salaries - or potentially more.

The point is the numbers are not comparable, and your attempt to make the comparable is so inaccurate as to render the exercise pointless.

You shat your pants, like a big boy.
Sam Adams
Member
Sat Feb 01 16:54:32
"And your treatment is beyond sloppy for comparison purposes - household income means you've no real idea what tax applies - very different if it's a sole earner or two people on equal salaries "

wrong. There is very little difference in the states.

Since you are not from the states i wont make fun of you for that.

I will however keep making fun of you for being unable to figure out post tax income when given pretax income and tax rate.

Rofl pleb!
Sam Adams
Member
Sat Feb 01 16:55:46
"Sam, how many in Alabama have health insurance coverage?"

Everyone that deserves it and more im sure.
Sam Adams
Member
Sat Feb 01 16:57:40
"I'm pretty sure every citizen in GB has health care coverage."

Ya, if you suck at life and need to mooch off the state the uk sounds like a great place to live.
Seb
Member
Sun Feb 02 03:15:35
You are applying an approach that might work for mean to a median.

Also still not comparing like for like.

And even if we take on face value your crap fag packet calculations, untroubled as they are by actual stated and justified assumptions, your basic explicit assumption is that Alabama, which is too poor as a society to afford first world provision of healthcare to its citizens, is "comparable" to the UK, which can.

When you say "mooch off the state", you acknowledge that poverty.
Seb
Member
Sun Feb 02 03:16:58
(universal healthcare is a net economic positive: it costs the economy not to have it).
patom
Member
Sun Feb 02 06:43:38
Sam, if you lost your job tomorrow along with your health insurance benefits. Does that mean you don't deserve any health care?
TJ
Member
Sun Feb 02 10:09:53
Need of security drives individual allegiance. It is a catch 22, damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Sam Adams
Member
Sun Feb 02 12:30:38
"Sam, if you lost your job tomorrow along with your health insurance benefits. Does that mean you don't deserve any health care?"


Patom I deserve what i can afford and what i choose to spend my money on. That is how a free market works. If ive made good choices, i can afford some lapse in employment. Please stop trying to get the government to make my choices for me.
Sam Adams
Member
Sun Feb 02 12:33:06
Lol seb.

First off being subordinate to the whims of a state healthcare agency is hardly something you should brag about, or ever strive to have.

Secondly you couldnt figure out how to get from pre tax to post tax when given tax rate.

Rofl!!
Forwyn
Member
Sun Feb 02 13:55:40
"Sam, if you lost your job tomorrow along with your health insurance benefits. Does that mean you don't deserve any health care?"

If you can't put in the goddamn time to file the paperwork for Medicaid, yes, rofl
patom
Member
Sun Feb 02 21:34:15
Sam would never lower himself to accept Medicaid. He would rather whither away and die with his pride than admit he might need a helping hand.
Habebe
Member
Sun Feb 02 22:28:40
Well, there is Cobra that allows you to pay and keep your health insurance for some time.

To be fair, im not surenif that's nationwide or just PA.
TJ
Member
Sun Feb 02 23:02:01
http://www...ra-what-employers-need-to-know

COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) is a federal law that requires employers of 20 or more employees who offer health care benefits to offer the option of continuing this coverage to individuals who would otherwise lose their benefits due to termination of employment, reduction in hours or certain other events. Individual states may also have COBRA-like laws that apply.
Sam Adams
Member
Sun Feb 02 23:09:25
"than admit he might need a helping hand. "

Help? We are the products of great apes who for millions of years scavanged a living in a harsh and unforgiving world with 0 help whatsoever. And now, in the softest easiest world imaginable, we have all these fucking moochers mooching and whining and begging?

Fuck that shit. Feed them to the tigers.
Sam Adams
Member
Sun Feb 02 23:11:03
Seriously if you cant hack it in the modern world... darwin demands that you get out of the fucking way.
jergul
large member
Mon Feb 03 00:38:44
Well, either get out of the way, or change the environment.

Modern man generally opts for the 2nd option.

Great apes make great Darwinists though.
patom
Member
Mon Feb 03 05:18:02
TJ, COBRA works like a charm if you have the money to pay for it.
When I was let go by Irving Oil I checked into it and was totally thrilled that it would only cost me $1000 a month to keep the plan for my wife and myself. I just had to decide that I could stop making payments on my home or any other essentials to make that work out.

Ask Seb or jergul what sort of shitty plan they have in Europe to cover them if their job goes away.
TJ
Member
Mon Feb 03 09:50:20
Tom:
I didn't mention allegiance to the need of security for nothing in my first post. That statement explains the opposition of force against your personal need.

I'm entitled complete medical benefits since I am a war veteran, yet I don't apply that advantage. Can you imagine why?

The post on Cobra was to enrich the knowledge of Habebe on the subject. Maybe you should have directed your post toward him rather than me.

We all ware the pair of shoes that fit any given subject. It is your opposition.
TJ
Member
Mon Feb 03 09:52:58
*ware=wear
Seb
Member
Mon Feb 03 09:57:35
TJ:

I have private healthcare. Costs £1.5k /a for full family cover, and covers pretty much anything other than certain chronic illnesses.

The main benefit is convenience for small things: I don't need to wait so long for referrals to specialists if I need one.
TJ
Member
Mon Feb 03 10:01:41
Seb:

Another pair. That is a good thing.
patom
Member
Mon Feb 03 11:11:36
Seb, Is that a month or per year?
Seb
Member
Mon Feb 03 11:17:57
A year
TJ
Member
Mon Feb 03 11:43:54
The wife and I pay over 4k a year for medical insurance and that does not include eye or dental. It would be considerably less if I used the VA for myself. We pay for the eye and dental out of pocket. It was not an easy decision to forego the VA benefits I'm entitled.
Sam Adams
Member
Mon Feb 03 12:06:07
We have to pay 150 dollars per year for a plan that covers absolutely everything. American healthcare works great when you have good jobs.

I do like how seb pays extra to avoid bureaucratic wrangling and incompetence in his state funded care. Lol what a fucking hypocrite.
Seb
Member
Mon Feb 03 12:17:10
TJ: yeah, another pair of shoes. Didn't include dental, that's a separate package (I think £300 I forget)

Sam: I never said incompetence Sam. For the most part, private doctors and surgeons also work on the state sector too. Nor the bureaucracy, it's pretty much the same. Unlike NHS I have to fill in a form, but it's vastly, vastly simpler than the bureaucracy that your system has from what I read.

The simple and sole reason is I can get appointments for non-serious issues within the week or shorter, whereas NHS appointments normally take two or three weeks unless you phone in the morning at precisely 8am to hear the queue. Also I can get no-brainer referrals from a remote GP appointment, reducing the need to take time off. Billable hours etc.

And mostly I use this for my kid. I'd probably not pay for it other than that. Only it's tax efficient so I wouldn't get 1.5k in pocket if I decided to cash it in. I'd get something around £1000
Seb
Member
Mon Feb 03 12:18:12
Sam:

What does your employer pay?
TJ
Member
Mon Feb 03 12:27:53
Hold your breath:

I've paid approximately 68k for insurance since retiring excluding eye or dental. It also doesn't include the deductible for any medication costs.

It does though, include any future chronic illness that could arise in the future. If not for prior employment that cost would be over 8k a year. The variables are numerous. All of that after being employed by a fortune 100 company.
patom
Member
Mon Feb 03 16:49:11
patom
Member
Mon Feb 03 16:59:58
When I worked at the County Jail I had 100% insurance and a limited dental and eye glasses plan as part of our benefits package. It was the ONLY reason I stayed there until my wife was able to get on Medicare.

After I retired we bought supplemental insurance that was supposed to pay for things Medicare didn't. We were paying $250 a month for that but after a couple of years we did a look at what they paid and is was shit.

Now we rely solely on Medicare, which pays 80%. We have had a couple of trips to the Hospital and made arrangements to pay them monthly what we can afford. We still have our Primary Doc in Calais, and travel the 1 3/4 hrs. there for our checkups. We really like him because he doesn't have a God complex and doesn't hesitate to refer to a specialist.

TJ, I should follow though and get VA benefits but I'm a hell of a procrastinator.
TJ
Member
Mon Feb 03 17:20:47
Tom:

If I were in your situation there would be no additional procrastinating. My wife and I have never been procrastinators. It is exactly why I'm able to forego the VA advantage. There is no need for me to take away from their budget to help Veterans who are really in need. It could be said I'm foolish in different ways.
TJ
Member
Mon Feb 03 17:56:29
Tom:

There are considerable variables for VA benefits, even for war veterans. You will be placed into a priority group if you choose to apply. That will depend on your service history and financial capability. Last I checked SS is not considered part of your net income.

Things change so you shouldn't take my word for VA benefits being an alternative choice available to you.

patom
Member
Tue Feb 04 04:43:55
TJ, as I recall when I was going to sign up a couple of years ago, I had made too much money over my SS and small pension. I should get back on it.
show deleted posts

Your Name:
Your Password:
Your Message:
Bookmark and Share