Why are the new phones $199 in the US and £324 in the UK

[u49aa2]

Be careful what you wish for.

In European countries most citizens pay upwards to 50-60% of their "taxes" to the government. There is very little of this tax shifting, mortgage interest deduction, 401K deduction that we have in the United States.

Plus Universal Health Care means a "limit" on what the government considers non-essential health services. Yes, that does mean, they are not going to rescue that pre-term baby born at 25 weeks while in the United States, we do all that is necessary to save a life.

They basically play god with your health needs. The government determines what and what doesn't need to be done.

Do you think Bill Clinton would have gotten his Heart Bypass surgery within 24 hours (Regular US citizens also get heart surgery within 24 hours if indicated so I'm not using Bill Clinton as an example).

No, in Universal Health Care societies, unless it is an absolute emergency, Bill Clinton (or those with the same heart conditions) would have had to wait upwards to 6 weeks for the surgery.

But then if you are without health insurance, like millions of Americans. You have to pick which finger to fix (by accident) as depending on what finger, the bill goes up. I have seen a child dying because the hospital that the insurance sponsor is far from home and the insurance will not pay for penicillin to the hospital near the baby home, because it is not a hospital sponsored by the insurance!!

See, even thorough i don't see the NHS in UK as a sustainable system, i still prefer it to the American system from the humanitarian point of view.

 

[zap2]

I think I'll stick with 8.25% sales tax and the free healthcare I get through my job.

I'm sure you would, but what about the 100 million American under or not insured?

What this comes down to is, this is the wrong forum....this is becoming a political debate, one I'm eager to get into, but I'll do my best to wait(admittedly I felt the need to post a little and did)

 

[Merkie]

Aneftp, you are wrong. In The Netherlands doctors will do whatever they can to save a life. Just like everywhere else in Europe. The big difference is that in the US, a heart attack comes with a huge bill if you're uninsured, in The Netherlands you won't have to pay anything because everyone is insured. Basic health care starts at less than €90 ($125 or something) for everyone.