2 hours in the emergency room cost me......

[SereneOne]

Not necessarily, usually the premiums for individual plans get lumped together so there is more to spread around, more money in the fund to cover costs. Also, single people don't generally use their insurance as much as families with kids so that boosts the funds keeping premiums lower. Often these are high deductible health plans but when you figure the tax breaks you get with these plans they work out to be fairly reasonable, just over a year vs monthly.

Maybe your state does, and when we lived in FL they started to, but other states do not. There is NO excuse in a country as rich and advanced as ours that there is not decent affordable coverage for everyone and that we have the high mortality rate of infants...I think we have the HIGHEST of any industrialized nation...hopefully it has gotten better than the last time I checked. I also totally disagree with your analogy that most people would take a higher paying job with no insurance than one that paid less and had insurance. Medical insurance is worth it's weight in gold and most people are smart enough to realize that.


But then the rest of your coverage costs are paid through OTHER taxes you pay. Your premium might be $88 but how much of your taxes are going toward suplimenting the health insurance?



Ok, but if you weren't making payments on old medical bills that money could go toward health insurance. Also, you choose to be a contract employee, no company gives benefits to contract employees. Because of your choices you don't have health insurance, that is a BIG difference from not being able to get insurance or being able to afford insurance. I am not saying that it is easy to get employers to offer better plans but that would be a solution to the problem.



Are you talking about Target Corporation? Like, the big bullseye company? I know for a FACT they have very good insurance. I know many people working for that company that have top notch insurance. If it is some other company what type of plan do they offer? I find it hard to believe that his insurance is so poor that he can't get a couple tests to find out if he has an ulcer. It is also possible that your friend had several plans to choose from and elected a low premium/low coverage plan. THere is a lot more to this then your explanation.



Our state DOES have health insurance available to all children under 18. I also think that too many people don't investigate their job choices and look for the $$$ signs with the pay and not the benefits. If you get a job that pays $20/hour with insurance and other benefits vs taking a job for $25/hour with no benefits you are actually making LESS money but people don't sit down and figure that out.



Ok, we pay LESS in income taxes, NO tax on any clothing or shoes for anyone, food, medications, with a 6.5% sales tax, pay zero for our medications with our plan. Our health insurance premiums are less then 2% of our income (actually only about .5% of our total income but the 2% is on DH's income and his company offers the health plan). Given this you pay a LOT more for what you have then we do.



For many of us it would cost more and we would receive inferior coverage to what we already have. Why would we want that?



So what have you done about your situation? Have you looked for a job with better benefits, have you discussed this with your employer, have you looked for an individual plan that would give you coverage? You can complain all you want but your choices put you where you are at too.



It goes both ways--there is a lot of misinformation about US plans that goes around as well.

Maybe your state does, and when we lived in FL they started to, but other states do not. There is NO excuse in a country as rich and advanced as ours that there is not decent affordable coverage for everyone and that we have the high mortality rate of infants...I think we have the HIGHEST of any industrialized nation...hopefully it has gotten better than the last time I checked. I also totally disagree with your analogy that most people would take a higher paying job with no insurance than one that paid less and had insurance. Medical insurance is worth it's weight in gold and most people are smart enough to realize that.

 

[gm]

a couple of nasty comments made me want to end this. This is the DIS not a fighting forum. Gees!! Unfortunately, there are a couple of bad seedlings on this very friendly board.

 

[4cruisin]

NEVERENOUGHWDW

You have got to be really angry about something that happened in your life to pass judgement. (may medically or some other reason) or you just like to cause a stir in a subject dunno but since you are passing judgment on me, I can do the same right!! I guess my post ruffled your feather. fortunately, I am not the angry one here looks like you are.

FIRST i did not ask for sympathy from you or from anyone else. All I mentioned was the cost of the hospital emergency trip to show everyone what hospital costs are these days without insurance which of course are ridiculous for a 2 hour visit. You mentioned childish behavior, I do not see it for as I can see, I posted that I was going to pay for my emergency visit with my AE card not pass the collection plate to you. Also the doctor mentioned gallstones BUT he also mentioned it was minor not MAJOR. Gees, you are trying to be judge, jury and executionar. DID I MENTION THAT I AM NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE?? I DO NOT RECALL WRITING THAT. SO DO NOT ASSUME THAT. Did I mention that I am paying the bill with my AE card?? IS THAT BEING IRRESPONSIBLE OR PASSING THE COLLECTION PLATE OVER TO YOU or ANYONE ELSE THAT YOU ARE ASSUMING ME TO? I really did not want to answer to your nasty post but I just had sympathy for you. Something really must have happened in your life to you for you to talk or assume for me in a nasty tone.

YOU repeated several times that YOU will end up paying for my trip to the emergency room. You said it in mostly all your posts here. UMMM, I did not say that YOU or ANYONE'S taxes will pay for it either. I DID however mention that I will charge it on my AE card(I guess you forgot to read that huh) dont worry, Your taxes are safe from me But not from millions of uninsured people who use medicare and medicaid so be sure to keep paying your taxes to support them. You know that you will need it one day if it does not dry up.

You have no right to be judge and jury as to what kind of priorities I should set. Yes, your nasty comment along couple of others prompted me to remove the Disney fund from my original post. I did not think that there were a FEW nasty posters on here. I thought the Dis was a friendly group. My things have changed and I have been here forever as you can see.

If I want Disney fund, I have every right to. Maybe in your family it might be different but mines does not have to agree with you. Yes, I will dip in my Disney fund to pay for some of it. IT is much easier for me to put about $25-50 in a disney fund than to pay the $650 a month for our family in health insurance since we are self employed and not working for a company who provides low prices insurance coverage. Yes, we are a healthy bunch and I do know that anything can happen anytime but this is my choice not yours.

I based this on the fact that I or my hubby have never been to the doctor in almost 9 years thankfully. We always take over the counter medicines so yes, everyone is different and has different priorities. Some people have illnesses on a long term basis and need to go to the doctors often and get prescriptions on a daily basis. I nor my hubby have never taken prescription medicine in several years because we never needed to go to the doctor and yes I wish I could have gotten a prescription for a cold or virus but we never went to the doctor because we were uninsured so we always took over the counter medicine. So when this emergency room visit came up. I was shocked at the price. So what was so wrong with posting that.

I am not knocking on your door and asking for you to pay my bill. gees!!!

Oh and financially we are just fine so if medically anything arises, we have the means to pay for major medical(mutual funds,cds,IRA'S for emergencies) but for trips like the one I recently had to go, I would charge it than take it out from my IRA's. Like I said nobody is the same and you should not assume that I want you to pay my bill with your taxes which you have said over and over again. A person has a right to both or either by choice and everybody deserves some kind of vacation especially when working 70hours a week when self employed or even part time or full time) so sleep well tonight knowing you are insured and because I am not touching your taxes but millions of others are. """""Oh and I pay taxes too just like you so when the need arises(hopefully not anytime soon), I will use MY TAXES to pay for my bills not just yours.""""""""So if I pass the collection plate towards you in my old age, It will include my taxes too.

To all the other wonderful posters, thank you for all the kind words.

To the posters who wrote nasty remarks, do not be judgemental and assume everyone is after you for something. GEES get a life this is the DIS not the Rush Limbough show!!

I think people would have more sympathy for you if you couldn't afford health insurance. Certainly, if you are able to have a vacation fund, cd's, IRA's etc, you can afford health insurance. You are making a choice not to have it.

You say that you and dh haven't been to a dr in 9 years? Not smart. You could have underlying medical issues that could be treated before they become a full blown medical crisis. I really have a problem with people who claim they can't afford medical insurance but manage to live a VERY comfortable life style in the meantime. It's a matter of choice but sometimes you have to put on your big girl panties and make the important stuff a priority. I would rather be a stay at home wife but I work to have the big extras in life....nice cars, great vacations, a summer home etc. It's all about choices and what it the rightthing to do.

When we were first married, we had medical insurance through dh's job. When he switched jobs, we would have been w/o med insurance for 3 months. We were broke newlyweds, living on a shoestring and I mean, a shoestring. We were only in our 20''s, in good health but you know what, we decided that one accident or illness would wipe us out so we made the choice to purchase a "catastrophic coverage policy" for that 3 month period. We had to scrimp to come up with the premium. Did I want to spend that money? Nope, but I knew that it was the right thing to do.

We are fortunate. Dh has a job that provides great medical coverage of which we pay a hefty portion to every week. I also have a job that will provide us with coverage if something should happen to dh's job.

That being said, it sounds like you have made a choice not to take care of yourself with health coverage. You may be able to pay this current bill with your AE card but trust me, if you don't get insurance now, it will come back to haunt you in the future. And yes, it will be some of your tax dollars that pay for the bills, but it will also be some of my tax dollars and I really resent that.

 

[golfgal]

I went back through emails --this is what my friend sent me

I'm doing very good today no pain a dull feeling I guess you'd call it I've been taking the ulcer pills and every day got better so I'm thinking it was that. They have a cat scan scheduled for tomorrow to check my colon but here's my dilema I have a 1200 dollar deductable so I would owe that no matter what if I wake up tomorrow and still feel good or better I want to cancel the scan I really can't afford another bill right now. I'm going to call blue cross tomorrow and get the scoop on everything and then decide. I hate this kind of decision.

That was April 27...this past week he messaged that it has flared up again. Not sure why his deductable is so high--it's all foreign to me!

His Mother meanwhile battles Bone Cancer...and they are allowing her 'limited treatment' on a certain budget amount.

A dear friend that lives in Florida--has done something to her back early last week..she had to see her Primary Caregiver in order to be referred to a Specialist--whom she saw today and has no idea what's up?? She is trying to get into Physio...

Another friend in NYC has been through a terrible time with stomach issues. She went for tests...paid a hefty chuck of change and they lost her results---she has a new Dr and says she is 'suing' for emotional distress.

I could go on, but my point is there are problems in any system. But trying to figure out what I can afford to have done and what I cannot isn't ever one of them! That matters to me and mine.

his deductable might be high because of the plan he choose.. we can choose from 3 plans at dh's work.. one a $500 per year family deductable.. one 1000$ another 2000$ the higher your deductable the less you pay out of your pocket for the insurance.. Open enrollment is usually once a year, you can change your plan then but other wise your stuck with what you picked. Yes you might save a few bucks by choosing the higher deductable plan but in the long run it might kick you in the ***.

Exactly--many large companies offer many different levels of coverage--their CHOICE put them in their situation, not the insurance companies, not the governement. I know each fall when DH's old company had their open enrollement we would sit down with many of the younger employees who would only look at the monthly payout for the premiums and not really investigate the overall costs of the various plans. Many people would choose the high deductible plans and then get into trouble when they had to go to the dr because they didn't have the money to pay the bill vs taking a slightly higher cost plan and having NO deductible and just a $20 office co-pay.

My husband and I have no insurance yet we have a vacation fund (a.k.a. a "hey what if something happens before we graduate college and we need it just in case" fund-- but the general thought is for a trip to Europe when we graduate)

There is no way we can afford insurance on top of books, tuition, utilities, gas, 1 car payment, car insurance (we actually are buying him braces b/c if he doesn't get them he'll supposedly loose his front teeth in 3 years.. and we're sweating the additional $175/month)

We live rent-free in a home my family owns but wasn't using. If it weren't for that, he'd probably lose his front teeth.

But really, what are we supposed to do? He's finishing school ASAP before his GI bill runs out, but since he's not active we're not covered. We don't qualify for any federal help because of the value of the vehicle he purchased while in the Marine Corps... it puts our "asset" level too high, but we're not trading it for a less dependable vehicle or a payment 'just in case'

So given i have no idea what the case is for the OP, how are we supposed to afford health insurance when we're barely cutting it now?

It is all about choice. Sell the expensive car so you qualify for health insurance. Your auto insurance will be less too. Most colleges offer a plan for their students that is very inexpensive. Look to your auto insurance company or even call Blue Cross/Blue Shield. There ARE plans out there that are affordable. Again, it is choice--you don't NEED to go on vacation but you might NEED medical care.

US health insurance is a quagmire. In my previous job (large employer, 1200+ employees), I paid $222 per paycheck (every other week) for HMO type health care for myself, DH, and DD age 14. Primary care physician, $20 copay at office, $50 copay at ER, $40 brand-name prescription copay, $20 generic copay, preapproval for specialists means no additional cost, hospital admission $50 copay for an entire stay. Pretty good plan, and we never worried about health insurance...until the research grant wasn't renewed and I lost my job with 2 weeks' notice. To COBRA this health care plan will cost me $888 every other week (or $23000 per year). Yup, my employer paid 75% of my health care cost. My DH is a 1/3 owner of a small company here. The state insurance plan for small companies is Dirigo. Dirigo would cost $1200 per month with a $3000 per person ($6000 per family) deductible. That works out to $20400 out of pocket per year before Dirigo would pay its PERCENTAGE of health costs. Let's see...unemployment is paying me $281 per week (or $14612 per year, if I should be unemployed that long...that's equivalent to a job paying $7.03 per hour). DH usually doesn't get paid as it's a small, start-up biotech company; priority salary is for the employees (both of them), not the owners...during the academic year he uses his PhD to teach at the local state University- brings home $820 per month (not now that it's summer, of course).

I get it... I understand how OP can have a vacation account but not be able to pay for health insurance. I can pay $25 or $50 a week into a vaca account, which would give me $1300-$2600 a year to take the 3 of us to WDW (easy-peesy to do it for that money!). It's coming up with the $222-$300 a month for a health insurance premium that has me stymied. It's NOT a question of priorities, it's a question of doing the math with the available dollars!!!

Did I mention that I have a master's degree, 20 yrs experience as a research scientist?

Ok, but when your DH took a job with a start up company you CHOSE to forgo medical insurance for the job. Again, people don't look at the bottom line when they take a job--good health insurance is worth it's weight in gold yet so many people don't look into that when they take a job. There are PLENTY of VERY GOOD plans available for small companies. DH's company now has 15 employees. We have 100% coverage for all preventative care, annual physicals, eye exams, hearing checks, well baby checks, etc.--no co-pay. We have 100% coverage for generic medications, our office co-pay is $20. My out of pocket expense last year for medical care--$60 for a family of 5. This group plan you need 2 employees or more up to 50 employees. It is through Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The company pays on a sliding scale based on the employee salary--those making more pay more for their premium.

Not that the issue is my unemployment, but no, I can't easily work at Starbucks, etc. I've applied for many retail-type positions and they take one look at my job experience and I'm not considered- they are sure i'll leave the minute a "real" job comes along. It's not worth it for them to spend the time training me. Also, many of the retail "health insurance plans" simply mean that the company offers insurance and the employee pays the full premium- the benefit is that there is a lower rate purchasing through a large employer than individually. Been there too...and the cost of participating in the plan could be more than a part-timer at minimum wage earns.

My point is that health insurance regulations and costs differ in each state. It's unfair to say "you should" or "you could" or criticize someone's priorities without knowing the issues behind the statement. Dirigo IS what the state of Maine offers for small business health plans, or residents who don't qualify for support and cannot afford a single policy. We don't qualify for the state low income programs as we have made more than the income brackets allow for the time ranges the programs work under. It is unacceptable that in a country with the wealth of the USA, with the amount of money that is put into health care, insurance, pharmaceutical companies, etc., so many people are un- or under-insured. I would gladly pay the kinds of taxes they do in the UK or Canada if it would mean getting the industry and profit-making OUT of the health care system and providing decent health care for all citizens,so people don't have to decide between health care or food or rent. It should be like it is with education- we live in a society that has determined it's beneficial to have an educated populace, so we all pay taxes to support the public education system, whether we have kids who are actually in school or not. I don't have a magical solution for how to do it, and don't think the medical business would allow it to happen in the USA anyhow, but it sure would be nice- in my opinion, of course.

That is really strange that retail establishments won't hire you. Most around here would LOVE a part-time employee like you. What types of individual plans have you looked into. Have you checked with the major insurance companies, have you looked into an insurance broker that can find you the right plan? A lot of people assume individual plans are expensive but there ARE affordable plans out there and they are available in every state.

 

[In a hurry]

It is unacceptable that in a country with the wealth of the USA, with the amount of money that is put into health care, insurance, pharmaceutical companies, etc., so many people are un- or under-insured.

And, how many of those people travel, buy tv's, pay for internet, eat out, buy convenience foods, etc., rather than paying for insurance.

I know people who do all of these things, and then whine when there is an emergency. There are reasonable policies that cover the big things. Savings should be used to cover the small. Rather than adding to taxes. If you are willing to pay more taxes...put it toward healthcare savings instead.

 

[tlens]

Golfgal:

Perhaps in your state there isn't taxes on clothing etc. In many states there are. Perhaps in Florida there isn't income tax. In many states there are. Widesweeping generalizations don't help anyone learn anything.

By no mean am I saying the US heathcare system is bad. I think EXCELLENT care can be given in the majority of the US. I think US doctors are top notch. I think you have excellent cancer centers and research hospitals. If I couldn't get a treatment I needed in Canada, I would go to the US for that treatment if I could afford it. However high quality care can be given in Canada as well. WE have good teaching/research hospitals. IF my child was sick, The Hospital for Sick CHildren in Toronto would be my hospital of choice.

The thing that's being discussed here is that we don't have things like 1200 deductables. WE don't have 800/month healthcare fees. We pay for it in our taxes yes, but personally having to pay out of pocket $800.00 a month then possibly a high deductable as well is mind-crushing to me. WHy, we've never had it that way and people here wouldn't want it that way. WE don't have providers that can exclude us for pre-exisitng conditions. WE like it that way.

Understand that many many parts of the world have a type of Universal healthcare and people like it. It doesn't make it wrong. It doesn't make it bad. It doesn't mean sub-standard care. Isn't that the real issue? Making sure everyone gets the care they need? Or is that a Canadian mindset?

It also means that your system isn't wrong. If you like the way it is, if most AMerican's like the way it is. Great. More power to you. We're certainly not telling you you should have UHC. DO what you want. But don't tell us our system is wrong and doesn't work when you have no experience with it. If you grew up genreationally with this type of system, you'd understand it. Since you haven't, you don't. Canadian pay higher taxes to keep our system. We're ok with that. Don't tell us we're not.

 

[golfgal]

Golfgal:

Perhaps in your state there isn't taxes on clothing etc. In many states there are. Perhaps in Florida there isn't income tax. In many states there are. Widesweeping generalizations don't help anyone learn anything.

By no mean am I saying the US heathcare system is bad. I think EXCELLENT care can be given in the majority of the US. I think US doctors are top notch. I think you have excellent cancer centers and research hospitals. If I couldn't get a treatment I needed in Canada, I would go to the US for that treatment if I could afford it. However high quality care can be given in Canada as well. WE have good teaching/research hospitals. IF my child was sick, The Hospital for Sick CHildren in Toronto would be my hospital of choice.

The thing that's being discussed here is that we don't have things like 1200 deductables. WE don't have 800/month healthcare fees. We pay for it in our taxes yes, but personally having to pay out of pocket $800.00 a month then possibly a high deductable as well is mind-crushing to me. WHy, we've never had it that way and people here wouldn't want it that way. WE don't have providers that can exclude us for pre-exisitng conditions. WE like it that way.

Understand that many many parts of the world have a type of Universal healthcare and people like it. It doesn't make it wrong. It doesn't make it bad. It doesn't mean sub-standard care. Isn't that the real issue? Making sure everyone gets the care they need? Or is that a Canadian mindset?

It also means that your system isn't wrong. If you like the way it is, if most AMerican's like the way it is. Great. More power to you. We're certainly not telling you you should have UHC. DO what you want. But don't tell us our system is wrong and doesn't work when you have no experience with it. If you grew up genreationally with this type of system, you'd understand it. Since you haven't, you don't. Canadian pay higher taxes to keep our system. We're ok with that. Don't tell us we're not.

The point you are missing is that people in the US have choices and often they chose to take no insurance or high deductible insurance. It doesn't have to be that way. Also, your insurance costs are just hidden in your taxes, ours aren't. You DO pay for your insurance and probably pay as much if not more then we pay for ours (we being US people in general).

As for taxes in the US, yes, many states do have taxes on food, clothing, etc. but NONE of the states have as high of sales tax rate as many of the proveniences in Canada. I am not making any broad generalizations any more then you are. I pointed out very clearly that in MN we don't have tax on any of those things. There are 13 states that don't have state income tax, that is quite a few. Many states have VERY low state income tax as well. I happen to live in one of the highest taxed states in the US and we STILL don't pay as much in taxes overall as you do. THAT is what the Canadian posters are missing. They hear how 'much' we pay for insurance when we pay as much or LESS then you do, even those with high deductible plans--you just pay your's through your taxes is all.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Where did the 8% taxes for heathcare come from in Canada? i've never heard that figure. I can't IMAGINE paying 8% of my income in healthcare tax. That figure would be staggering to me. I think the Ontario premium is $200.00 and it's not like we pay cash for it, it's a addition on the income tax form.

I pay income taxes of about 26%. (Base rate is 17%...increases with income) I pay 1% of my income for Employment insurance (I lose my job or have a baby, I still have some income coming in).

We pay in Ontario a 8% Provincial sales tax. (PST)
We pay in Canada a 5% Good and Services tax.

Unlike many US states, we don't pay taxes on most groceries. We don't pay PST on children's clothing, shoes under $30.00, bicycles, helmets, car seats etc.

I pay property taxes.

American's pay taxes on those things as well.

I pay nothing for drugs through our employers (a virtual requirement in Canada...to provide drug/dental coverage for employees). Since my dh is diabetic and has heart problems, his medications cost us almost $800.00/month. We pay nothing. I never have to worry about an employer not giving one of us a job due to diabetes or heart problems. They are not allowed to ask.

Sorry but I'll take my system, with all it's warts anyday of the week.

Woah. It sounds like Canadians are actually taxed less than most Americans. What is your property tax like, percentage-wise?

 

[In a hurry]

Woah. It sounds like Canadians are actually taxed less than most Americans. What is your property tax like, percentage-wise?

there are always trade-offs, though. Have you tried driving thru Canada? Practically no highway system. That is, of course, their business.

 

[minnie56]

there are always trade-offs, though. Have you tried driving thru Canada? Practically no highway system. That is, of course, their business.

HUH??

 

[minnie56]

Woah. It sounds like Canadians are actually taxed less than most Americans. What is your property tax like, percentage-wise?

My house is worth just under $700,000
My annual taxes are approx $4,000.
I live in a very affluent area.

 

[minnie56]

The point you are missing is that people in the US have choices and often they chose to take no insurance or high deductible insurance. It doesn't have to be that way. Also, your insurance costs are just hidden in your taxes, ours aren't. You DO pay for your insurance and probably pay as much if not more then we pay for ours (we being US people in general).

As for taxes in the US, yes, many states do have taxes on food, clothing, etc. but NONE of the states have as high of sales tax rate as many of the proveniences in Canada. I am not making any broad generalizations any more then you are. I pointed out very clearly that in MN we don't have tax on any of those things. There are 13 states that don't have state income tax, that is quite a few. Many states have VERY low state income tax as well. I happen to live in one of the highest taxed states in the US and we STILL don't pay as much in taxes overall as you do. THAT is what the Canadian posters are missing. They hear how 'much' we pay for insurance when we pay as much or LESS then you do, even those with high deductible plans--you just pay your's through your taxes is all.

Well, for all those high taxes we 'seem to have' most of us enjoy a pretty good lifestyle! Last I heard--many parts of the U.S were in pretty dire straits!

 

[golfgal]

Well, for all those high taxes we 'seem to have' most of us enjoy a pretty good lifestyle! Last I heard--many parts of the U.S were in pretty dire straits!

Um, not really--define what you mean?? I am sure everything in Canada is perfect but there are places in the US that have been his buy the current economy but then again there are places that are booming too.

$700,000 would buy a pretty typical suburban 2 story house in our area--pretty much like our house. Property taxes are about the same here as what you pay--ours are about $3900 and change this year for about the same house value. Our income tax according to the chart you posted is about 1/2 of what you pay, our sales tax is 1/2 and we don't pay tax on much of what you pay tax on. Our heath insurance is about .5% of our income. Like I said, people in the US have choices and it isn't necessarily the SYSTEM that is wrong vs the people that make bad choices. Everyone I know lives a pretty good lifestyle as well but then again most of the people I know went to college, got good jobs, have good benefits and in general made GOOD choices financially.

 

[Mom2Nick]

Well, for all those high taxes we 'seem to have' most of us enjoy a pretty good lifestyle! Last I heard--many parts of the U.S were in pretty dire straits!

Never knew Canada was Utopia...........

 

[tlens]

there are always trade-offs, though. Have you tried driving thru Canada? Practically no highway system. That is, of course, their business.

WHAT????

 

[tlens]

http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/taxes.htm

Very interesting article, about 10 years old though. Comparing tax rates of Canada vs the US.

 

[sandy2330]

Well, for all those high taxes we 'seem to have' most of us enjoy a pretty good lifestyle! Last I heard--many parts of the U.S were in pretty dire straits!

Canada - Perfect; US - Dire straits

GOT IT!!!

I need to start packing since my northern going moving truck will arrive soon.

 

[tlens]

from Wikipedia:

The taxes are applied differently as well. Canada's income tax system is more heavily biased against the highest income earners, thus while Canada's income tax rate is higher on average, the bottom fifty percent of the population is roughly taxed the same on income as in the United States. However, Canada has a national goods and services tax of 5% on all purchases, while the U.S. federal government does not, increasing the tax burden on Canadian low-income earners due to the regressive nature of a sales tax. However, Canadian GST does not tax food and other essentials and a GST rebate for low-income earners mitigates regressiveness.[8]

In addition to the 5% GST levied on most purchases, some Canadians also pay a provincial sales tax at a rate that varies by province and can be as high as 10%. In Ontario, for example, where the provincial sales tax (PST) is 8%, consumers must pay a total of 13% sales tax on top of the purchase price. There are some purchases which are PST exempt, such as children's clothing. In the U.S., most states impose a sales tax, and cities and counties are often permitted to levy taxes as well, which can exceed 10% on purchases.

Canada has no inheritance tax while the United States still does, although many conservatives and economic liberals are pushing to have it abolished.

 

[tlens]

Canada - Perfect; US - Dire straits

GOT IT!!!

I need to start packing since my northern going moving truck will arrive soon.

Now who's getting defensive. Minnie may be a little too much on how great Canada is but I think she's going on the fact that our economy seems stronger right now. Our strng dollar has insulated Canada from may of the increases the US has seen on things like groceries and to a lesser extent, even gasoline. Our gas prices have risen but not nearly as dramatically as they have in the US. We don't have anything resembling the sub-prime mortgage problem. Hosuing prices and starts are up in many parts of the country. This is the first month we've seen a large slump in new car sales. I think that's where she is coming from.

 

[momto2girls]

from Wikipedia:

The taxes are applied differently as well. Canada's income tax system is more heavily biased against the highest income earners, thus while Canada's income tax rate is higher on average, the bottom fifty percent of the population is roughly taxed the same on income as in the United States. However, Canada has a national goods and services tax of 5% on all purchases, while the U.S. federal government does not, increasing the tax burden on Canadian low-income earners due to the regressive nature of a sales tax. However, Canadian GST does not tax food and other essentials and a GST rebate for low-income earners mitigates regressiveness.[8]

In addition to the 5% GST levied on most purchases, some Canadians also pay a provincial sales tax at a rate that varies by province and can be as high as 10%. In Ontario, for example, where the provincial sales tax (PST) is 8%, consumers must pay a total of 13% sales tax on top of the purchase price. There are some purchases which are PST exempt, such as children's clothing. In the U.S., most states impose a sales tax, and cities and counties are often permitted to levy taxes as well, which can exceed 10% on purchases.

Canada has no inheritance tax while the United States still does, although many conservatives and economic liberals are pushing to have it abolished.

And therein lies the problem. Many, many people in the US are totally against income redistribution (as am I).