2J

Is Billy Faulconer facing an early death due to poverty and/or racism?

I believe he is dying of cancer but would have gotten better treatment if he was white and had more money.

both, and stubbornness. he could have filed for universal care and at least been seen by an oncologist but instead he's taking the word of the local GP

Poverty, racism and ignorance.

>4 Sergeirocks: That sums it up very well. I agree with >2 EadieB: He would have gotten better treatment if he had been white and had more money or insurance.

I agree with >3 bhabeck:. He had options he refused to explore but the cards were stacked against him.

What is universal care >3 bhabeck:

>4 Sergeirocks: Says it so well!

>7 Andrew-theQM: I don't know if Brenda is referring to Obama Care or the Universal Health Care that Bernie Sanders was campaigning for (social medicine). What people don't understand is that taxes would have to be raised in order to cover any type of health care plan. Most people think it's free but we all know nothing is free in this world. There is medicaid for low income.

Just checked with my husband who will be retiring this December. He said that even with medicare our medical insurance will be $23,000/year for us which will include all the drugs that we need.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/14/healthcare-a-human-right-b...

https://www.thebalance.com/obamacare-explained-3306058

https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/10-things-to-know-about-medicaid-settin...

>9 EadieB: >7 Andrew-theQM: I was actually thinking of Medicaid when I said it - it's health coverage for low income and welfare recipients and is a state program (vs Medicare which is tied with Social Security and Disability). if he couldn't qualify for that he should have been able to get insurance under the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare)

Thanks for this information. >9 EadieB: >10 bhabeck: This seems so alien / different to us in the U.K. where we have the National Health Service. Obviously this is free health care for all at any time. Obviously this is reflected in our taxes and you don’t want to know how much I pay in National Insurance (as opposed to Income Tax) I don’t Even look at it, just look at my take home pay each month. 😂 This certainly takes the worry or concern out of being ill and being able to afford health care.

If you are on low income you also get free dental care and even if you are above the threshold for free dentistry there are lower charges I believe than for Private dentist treatment.

Any medication you need is charged at £8.80 per item and this is free from the age of 60. You can get a three month Prescription prepayment card for £29.10 or £104 for 12 months, then you get free prescriptions for that period. Any medication used whilst you are in hospital is free.

I just read that Sweden has free health care in that they don't have to pay at the time of treatment but they really pay indirectly with the highest taxes of any country in the world...around 28%-30%

Same as U.K. Carol. >14 Carol420:

>14 Carol420: >15 Andrew-theQM: My husband pays 45% of his income for state, local and federal income tax.

>14 Carol420: >16 EadieB: Higher rate tax payers pay 40% tax for the earnings above £34,501 and 20% on the first £34,500 I think! Then you have to pay 12% on National Insurance up to earnings of £3863 a month (you pay no National Insurance on the first £702 each month). If you earn more than £3863 a month then you pay 2% on that amount. On top of this employers have to pay a hefty National Insurance amount on each employee. Complicated or what. Like all tax best not to think about it as nothing can do about it and just look at what you take home each month. 😂

Also we have to pay Council tax for our local authority - the more your house is worth the more you pay. Usually between 1000 and 2000 pounds, but may be higher if you have very high value houses.

>17 Andrew-theQM: I know! Healthcare is not cheap but very necessary. Yes, we call that real estate tax. My real estate tax is $4,500 a year just for my house in Perkasie.

>19 EadieB: Most Definitely. As I say no point worrying about the tax you pay as little you can do about it! What bugs me is when you have to pay tax on savings and/or investments when you have already paid tax on that money in he first place through your earnings, but then I suppose the same for items you buy that aren’t considered luxuries where you have to pay 20% VAT (Value Added Tax). Only two things certain in life : death and taxes!

>20 Andrew-theQM: When we were in Italy we signed a form so we didn't have to pay the VAT. 20% is very high.

>21 EadieB: It is, having gone up from 17.5% a few years ago.

>22 Andrew-theQM: Taxes taxes and more taxes! It really bothers me when you hear about all the corruption and politicians putting our tax dollars in their pockets.

>23 EadieB: And when you see the waste some taxes are put to!

>24 Andrew-theQM: Agree!