MikeDunnAuthorThis is a far too common occurrence in the U.S.
And people wonder why Luigi is so popular?
BeeCycling has moved@MikeDunnAuthor A diabetic dying from lack of insulin in a modern, rich country, in the 21st century is insane. It's a deliberate choice to just let people die for being poor. In the UK anyone prescribed insulin gets not only their insulin prescription free, but all their other prescriptions too. Almost the entire UK population would consider you a maniac if you proposed allowing diabetic people to just die if they couldn't pay for insulin.
MarjorieR@beecycling @MikeDunnAuthor probably worth adding that the average manufacturer cost of insulin in the USA is 13 times the cost (presumably the price to our NHS) in the UK. ($98.70 vs $7.52 per vial).
"A landmark study published by the RAND Corporation in 2020 analyzed the average price of several different forms of insulin (human, analog, rapid, rapid-intermediate, short, short-intermediate, intermediate, and long-acting) in 33 countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which includes most of the world's developed countries and high-income countries. The study revealed that the manufacturer price for any given type of insulin averaged five to ten times higher in the U.S. ($98.70 USD) than in all other OECD countries ($8.81 on average). Even when using net prices, which incorporate possible rebates, U.S. prices would be roughly four times higher than in other countries."
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/cost-of-insulin-by-country
@marjolica @MikeDunnAuthor Oh yes, that's one of the things I think makes Americans think universal health care paid by taxes can't work because their taxes would have to be huge to afford it - not realising that their healthcare costs are hugely inflated from what they should be because of the perverse incentives built into their system.
derptron@beecycling @marjolica @MikeDunnAuthor They need to consider their insurance payment a tax. Then look at the budget and realize that the part that's actually labeled "tax" is already like 1/2 for medical insurance for older people.
My tax burden is around 1.5k a month. The cheapest HSA qualified plan I could find is almost $800 a month. Anything cheaper and the deductible is too high to be considered "high".
So something around 2/3 of my taxes goes to medical insurance, considered this way.
Andreas K@crazyeddie
Absolutely.
Around here "social security" (health care + pension contributions + half a dozen other minor things like unemployment) is certainly the bigger burden than legal taxes for average citizens. (And notice the difference is our healthcare contribution is based not on our health but on our income up to the cut off point)
But then what is the alternative?
Letting people die because of chronic illness?
Letting the old starve?
@beecycling @marjolica @MikeDunnAuthor
@yacc143 @beecycling @marjolica @MikeDunnAuthor I was actually even counting FICA. I pay twice over what most people do for that. Supposedly I get it back though. 🧐
My point wasn't to object to those programs but to point out that when you add insurance, your medical portion is just...holy fuck. You're getting robbed.
Consider this too: how many taxes and other things have upper income limits...like they only tax the poor portion of your money. What are they taxes for again?
@crazyeddie @beecycling @marjolica @MikeDunnAuthor
Well, "social security" in Austria tops out at €1911.93 per month (2025 values for employees for healthcare., pension, accident coverage).
Well, "social security" in Austria tops out at €1911.93 per month (2025 values for employees for healthcare., pension, accident coverage).