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It seems to me that anyone who is so unhappy with the United States has the ability to relocate to many other countries in the world. Most countries will allow you to enter the country and eventually seek citizenship. So, if you are really unhappy with life as it is, why not relocate elsewhere?
Once you do so, you will find out that the places you thought were ideal are somewhat less than ideal.
From my experience, the health care that I have received in this country is much better than what I received under the Ontario provincial plan. YMMV.
You've never looked at immigration rules have you? You can't just pick up and move to anywhere in Europe (or most other countries). Immigration to other countries is as tough as the US. Do you really think the UK would welcome retirees who would use the NHS when they never paid taxes here?!
I am here because I married a citizen when I was 48 and have an excellent quality of life and healthcare. A bonus was that at age 60 you get a bus pass for free travel all over Scotland. Services for seniors are fantastic here.
Well you know what they say about ASSuming! I was making a general comment that future generations will probably have less favorable economic circumstances than the baby boomers. Do you disagree with that assumption?
Yes and are you basing your future comments on? The world and things often don't play out as we expect. The future for young folk today is very bright if they are reasonably intelligent, use that intelligence to acquire academic skills and than use those academic skills to acquire job skills that are in demand. If they then use those job skills to acquire well paying in demand jobs and use the resulting income to build a strong financial foundation their future is strong. If they ignore the path to success that's perhaps another future. What do you tell young people about their future hopes and how to get there? I should add that being able to pass a drug screening is paramount. Lots of young folks following that path and thriving. There us a reason the Chamber of Commerce and corporations are pushing for immigration reform and that is economic opportunity in the Country is plentiful but the number of young Americans willing to walk the path to get there isn't meeting the demand.
Correct! It's a disgrace. But Americans don't want it. They say it's big bad socialism.
Americans love to pick and choose their socialism.
Public schools = good socialism
Public healthcare for all US citizens = bad socialism
Americans don't mind paying thousands of dollars a year in property taxes to support public schools (even if they do not have any children in the school system), but they balk at paying taxes to support a single-payer healthcare system, of which ALL US citizens would be allowed to partake of.
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And they always jump on some article that says there are long waits for non-emergency procedures (always in some place like London). I am extremely grateful that I'm retired in the UK with this healthcare. It isn't free, it comes out of taxes like everything else. I have great doctors and the hospitals if/when I need them are fantastic. I pay zero for prescriptions and £10 for a thorough teeth cleaning and checkup at my dentist twice a year.
Well, Americans always have to be the best, so we must shoot down any single-payer health care system in other countries because...well... we are Americans our health insurance system (or non-system) is the best! Unfortunately, our health care system is not the "best", it is the most expensive.
Health insurance does not equate to health care, that is just my unpopular opinion.
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I was very lucky nothing happened during the years in the US when I could not afford health insurance and the employer did not provide it.
I don't have health insurance. I haven't had it for 4 years. I am "lucky" I haven't needed to go to the doctors (I pay cash for dental and eye care, which many Americans do). Will my luck run out? Probably, oh well.
BTW, I never understand why many Americans believe we do not pay a large percentage of our incomes in taxes. Four years ago, I made $31,000 a year. I brought home $20,890 after FED/NYS income taxes/Social Security/Medicare/health insurance. Besides that, I pay sales taxes, property taxes ($4,000+ a year on a $105,000 assessed house), gas taxes, phone taxes, utility taxes. I had to pay an extra $75 in NYS taxes at the end of the year (no refund), and I received a $150 refund from the Feds. So no, I wasn't get back big income tax refunds that other people do.
Four years ago there was a web site (I think it was called the Ithaca tax calculator - it is gone now) where I could calculate how much I really paid in taxes, working and living in Central New York. Based upon my $31,000 a year income, the tax calculator estimated that I paid 48% of my income in taxes to the fed/state/local governments (ALL taxes, not just income taxes). That sounds about right. So in reality, I pay a high percentage of my income in taxes, just like they do in the big bad socialist European countries.
The US has the most expensive healthcare in the world and it also has people who have to file for bankruptcy due to healthcare costs because they could not afford insurance but made too much for medicaid.
Every single person in the UK is entitled to the same healthcare even if they never worked.
This is true, but what is also true is that doctors in the UK are directed by the C-suite to FIRST take care of the folks with private, top tier insurance; the rank an file get taken care of in due time. Hmmm, strange, isnt it? Kind of flies in the face that all people get free, high quality healthcare...many surgeons from England that I work with on a regular basis tell me our system is the envy of the "industrialized nations"...they actually like the fact that a top surgeon can be handsomely compensated for his skill and education. They also intimate theirs system is ripe for collapse as it is strained to the max, currently. Even BBC did a huge expose on it last year and admitted the US system (pre Obamacare) is the shining gold standard. Their words (BBC)
This is true, but what is also true is that doctors in the UK are directed by the C-suite to FIRST take care of the folks with private, top tier insurance; the rank an file get taken care of in due time. Hmmm, strange, isnt it? Kind of flies in the face that all people get free, high quality healthcare...many surgeons from England that I work with on a regular basis tell me our system is the envy of the "industrialized nations"...they actually like the fact that a top surgeon can be handsomely compensated for his skill and education. They also intimate theirs system is ripe for collapse as it is strained to the max, currently. Even BBC did a huge expose on it last year and admitted the US system (pre Obamacare) is the shining gold standard. Their words (BBC)
I don't live in England, I live in Scotland and our NHS is separate from England's. Our doctors are either NHS only or private only. There are also private hospitals for which you pay high insurance rates to use. The benefit of this is not worth it to me. Means if you need something like hip/knee replacement surgery - non life-threatening - you get it faster than on the NHS.
Doctors are well-paid here but not overpaid like in the US. Doctors in the US ask for unnecessary tests and do unnecessary procedures in order to claim more money from the insurance companies. The drug companies have doctors in their pockets as well. It's all about profit in the US. The most expensive care in the world.
I get excellent care here. Great doctors, get an appt quickly. Fast referrals to specialists. Any preventive test I want done, they do it. A huge, brand new NHS hospital is being built in my area. The childrens' hospital is excellent as I've heard from two people whose children had leukemia and were treated in their cancer section. Cost to them: zero.
Medicaid is mainly for those on welfare. It's the working poor who suffer. Been there - in the US. Sucks!!
This IS the retirement forum. Rename it Retirement in the US only if no one else is allowed!
::::sigh:::: You must be right. Those of us who planned well, worked hard and secured our futures should hang our heads in shame. The system here must be terribly flawed. Why, just a year ago I had $170,000 worth of neurosurgery to save my sorry life and paid not one red cent out-of-pocket yet the bills were paid. Better I had perished and that money had been distributed to those who frittered away the vast opportunities available here. My goodness! They could have used it to expat themselves and begun their mornings sliming this country on the Internet. Carry on! I'm done.
Last edited by Curmudgeon; 03-09-2014 at 09:03 AM..
Well, I'm retired in the USA, and life is great! There is no shortage of healthcare and wealth around here, and the quality of life is excellent.
I don't have any complaints.
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Originally Posted by Erratikmind
Likewise, I retired 3 years ago. I have no complaints.
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Originally Posted by Curmudgeon
My wife and I are both retired and but for minor COLAs we have relatively fixed incomes.
My wife and I are happily married retirees... Born and raised in the United States, but we have lived in Europe and I have also lived in East Asia. We worked hard and made some wise choices. We had no handouts. Life was not perfect, but we don't have any complaints or regrets!
Yes and are you basing your future comments on? The world and things often don't play out as we expect. The future for young folk today is very bright if they are reasonably intelligent, use that intelligence to acquire academic skills and than use those academic skills to acquire job skills that are in demand. If they then use those job skills to acquire well paying in demand jobs and use the resulting income to build a strong financial foundation their future is strong. If they ignore the path to success that's perhaps another future. What do you tell young people about their future hopes and how to get there? I should add that being able to pass a drug screening is paramount. Lots of young folks following that path and thriving. There us a reason the Chamber of Commerce and corporations are pushing for immigration reform and that is economic opportunity in the Country is plentiful but the number of young Americans willing to walk the path to get there isn't meeting the demand.
"things often don't play out as we expect " Ain't that the truth!
There is no question that the US has great opportunity for anyone willing to work hard, acquire skills and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Not disputing that at all. But I noticed you never discussed or disputed any of my original post. What I said was:
Our generation (baby boomers) got very lucky from a historical economic time frame and it is likely that future generations will not have the same economic realities and therefore perhaps a less secure retirement future.
We grew up in the biggest manufacturing boom in history.
Made in the USA used to mean something. American companies provided American jobs.
When we were young and struggling healthcare as an insignificant amount (We paid 17.00/month to BC/BS).
We started our careers at a time pensions, unions and lifetime employment were alive.
We started our careers without HUGE student loan debts.
Lifetime employment meant lifetime healthcare.
We had/have pensions, SS, IRAs, 401s etc etc etc.
Our home owning years were the biggest run up in RE values in history.
The booming tech industry created jobs and fortunes.
The USA created the tech industry.
Most of our lives have been spent in an era of cheap energy costs.
In 5th grade my geography textbook said, "the USA has unlimited natural resources"
And we continue to live as if that was true.
For our kids and grand kids:
Very few manufacturing jobs.
Very little "Made in the USA".
Higher education comes with high debt.
Healthcare costs are incredibly high for a family and less often paid by employer.
Many jobs or careers are switching employers every few years, rarely a pension or longterm healthcare.
Few pensions and many politicians want to end (or reduce) AHC, Medicare & SS.
Fewer families starting out can afford a house and RE is no longer a growth investment.
Many well paid people starting a career can not buy a home because of student debt.
The USA is no longer the leader in tech innovation and tech jobs are outsourced to lower wage countries.
Energy costs are only going up, future generations will need to make tough decisions on how to allocate limited resources.
The original post pointed out the many countries have greater retirement financial security than the USA. Other posters (including myself) have pointed out that it could get worse for future generations in the USA.
The most common responses seem to be: "If you don't like it here, leave." "You and your kids are not trying hard enough" and "Quit whining".
Does anyone want to discuss the above points?
And to those that suggest if we don't like it we should work to change it, I hope you realize the first step to change is opening up discussions of why something needs to change.
I don't live in England, I live in Scotland and our NHS is separate from England's. Our doctors are either NHS only or private only. There are also private hospitals for which you pay high insurance rates to use. The benefit of this is not worth it to me. Means if you need something like hip/knee replacement surgery - non life-threatening - you get it faster than on the NHS.
Doctors are well-paid here but not overpaid like in the US. Doctors in the US ask for unnecessary tests and do unnecessary procedures in order to claim more money from the insurance companies. The drug companies have doctors in their pockets as well. It's all about profit in the US. The most expensive care in the world.
I get excellent care here. Great doctors, get an appt quickly. Fast referrals to specialists. Any preventive test I want done, they do it. A huge, brand new NHS hospital is being built in my area. The childrens' hospital is excellent as I've heard from two people whose children had leukemia and were treated in their cancer section. Cost to them: zero.
Good for you I get the feeling that profit is a dirty word to you...or would you rather govt. regulate that too?
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