4 hours ago, dave2013 said:

Other countries have single-payer systems or socialized medicine, which have their own advantages and disadvantages, but the fact remains that healthcare is not free.  Other countries' citizens pay for it with their high taxes, whereas those in the USA pay for it more directly through insurance premiums, copays, and deductibles.

Looks like USA is in about the 37% personal tax rate, which is about average but not low or high. My country does have public health and our taxes are at 39% so not far off, mostly slightly higher because of our smaller population, Canada has one of the larger Public Health services and they only pay 33%. I wouldn't link health care to tax rates its more linked to a nations dysfunction. Anyone paying over 50% of their income in taxes is crazy, the ones under 40% is average and most of those in that range can offer public health anyways. Most western nations Public Health began post WW2 as a service to the returning veterans, that was then extended to their families, and eventually everyone else. That development worked well for those nations since pretty much the 1960s now.

My next question would be and I don't know the answer to this, if you go to a hospital in the USA and get your bill, does that bill include taxes??? 

Quote

U.S. healthcare system is notably expensive due to a combination of factors including high administrative costs, expensive pharmaceuticals, and a complex, fragmented system with varying prices for the same services. Other contributing factors include the lack of price regulation, a focus on for-profit healthcare, and high costs associated with medical technology and specialized care. 

 

What blows my mind is how much the US charges for drugs. 278% higher than 33 other countries according to research. 

Edited July 24, 2025Jul 24 by martin-w

11 hours ago, psolk said:

Well for some people life just doesn't get easier but keeps introducing new challenges...

On Saturday I broke my spine in two places.  Compression fractures of T11 and T12.

 

How did you do it, Paul? Were you track racing?

Edited July 24, 2025Jul 24 by martin-w

13 hours ago, psolk said:

Well for some people life just doesn't get easier but keeps introducing new challenges...

On Saturday I broke my spine in two places.  Compression fractures of T11 and T12.  Now because I didn't want to bother my Dr and because I had two critical work calls I walked around for 2 days with a broken back which was not my brightest move but I really didn't think I had a broken back.

Spent the past 3 days in hospital, in a brace from my neck to my waist but this is just another speed bump and this too shall pass.

Just a tremendous amount of discomfort right now and obviously very immobile but it could STILL always be worse and I will just need to keep that perspective as I start all over from Stage 0 again... 

Off to rest now, I think I've had 30 minutes sleep in 3 days and still trying to balance work calls and life at the same time.  

Every challenge is an opportunity to shine... 

Be well everyone, I'm always tremendously appreciative of all of the support here!!!

I am guessing that you do not bother buying lottery tickets? With your luck, it would be a waste of money!! Get well soon, my friend 👍

Edited July 24, 2025Jul 24 by Christopher Low

4 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

I am guessing that you do not bother buying lottery tickets? With your luck, it would be a waste of money!! Get well soon, my friend 👍

Two ways of looking at things...  this could also be very lucky because had it T'd out when it broke instead of a perpendicular break I could have ended up paralyzed.  Had it been discs blowing it would have been an emergency surgery so I didn't have to deal with that either.  Yes, it's excuciating and yes it still sucks but it also could have been much much worse.  

I keep waiting for Readers Digest to knock on my door even though I don't play LOL

5 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

How did you do it, Paul? Were you track racing?

Let's go with jumping out of a 2nd story window saving orphans and puppies from a fire!  😂

Unfortunately it was NOTHING that exciting.  I literally moved the motorcycle a few feet in the garage to organize things.  With the spinal injuries I don't feel my foot and it must have hit the kickstand and flipped it up a little bit because I put the bike down thinking the stand was down and it started to fall over.  I just instinctively caught it and then as I was lifting it back up the only thing that was uninjured to really take the load was my mid spine and I literally felt the spine crack.  I just "thought" it was discs popping not the actual vertebrae..   To be fair the motorcycle is ~585lbs and I was not expecting to catch and lift it, just instinct to go for it...  Apparently my brain "should" have processed the pain I was in as I was lifting and blocked me from continuing but I think that is dependent upon the pre-req of having a brain...  I just pushed through until something gave.

16 hours ago, tdflightsim said:

Jeeez Paul.  We need to send you a giant roll of bubble wrap for yourself.  Be well and take it easy.

 

16 hours ago, dave2013 said:

How in the world did you manage to break your spine?  Was it an accidental fall?  Anyway, hope you get better soon.

Let's stick with the saving puppies and orphans story 😉 LOL....  See above though 😞  

 

Thank you @Matthew Kane!!!  Yeah, it could always be worse and while it definitely sucks it's temporary and the pain should subside in the next few weeks. (hopefully) 

 

12 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

Looks like USA is in about the 37% personal tax rate, which is about average but not low or high.

37% is the highest marginal tax rate and only affects income over $625,000 for an individual.  The first $15,000 of income is exempt from taxes.  For married couples the marginal amounts and exemptions are even higher.  I pay no taxes at all on the first $30,000 of income.  The average sales tax rate is around 7%.  We pay much less in taxes than most other developed countries.

Like I said, half of Americans get free or heavily subsidized healthcare, and most of the other half get employer subsidized health insurance, so the situation with U.S. healthcare is not as dire as some make it out to be.  The main problem here is that healthcare is too profit-motivated, too expensive, and is sucking too much money out of other sectors of the economy, which is fundamentally wrong IMO.

Most other developed countries have tax rates of nearly 40% on income exceeding around $50,000, which is far, far more burdensome than our tax system.  What they get in return for all those taxes other than "free" healthcare I couldn't say.  I know that in Italy where I lived for years the average person really doesn't get much except for the healthcare.

IMO, the USA should move to a single payer govt. health insurance system where everyone is treated equally and pays their fair share, but it will likely never happen.

Like I said, every system has its pros and cons.

Dave

1 hour ago, psolk said:

To be fair the motorcycle is ~585lbs and I was not expecting to catch and lift it, just instinct to go for it...

 

Jeepers... thats a heavy bike. 😵

29 minutes ago, martin-w said:

 

Jeepers... thats a heavy bike. 😵

At least it wasn't something like a Harley or an Indian which can be 900+ pounds!  But apparently 584 pounds was my spine's limit 😉 

900 pounds!!!!

😫

 

5 minutes ago, martin-w said:

900 pounds!!!!

"A Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited weighs 932 lbs (423 kg) in running order. This weight includes fluids and a full tank of gas"

Ouch.

My Goldwing was somewhere around 600 pounds.  It ended up fallen over onto the side rails (what are they called?) that protect the engine a couple of times, and I was able to get it back upright.

Technique I used:  Stand beside the bike facing the same direction as the bike, squat with your knees, grip the side rail on the seat with one hand while keeping your body upright, and stand up slowly.

Earlier I had a BMW I got upright by gripping the handlebars but it ended up bending them.

Hook

Side rails??  Maybe crashbars? 🤔

21 minutes ago, LHookins said:

A Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited weighs 932 lbs (423 kg) in running order. This weight includes fluids and a full tank of gas

Ouch.

 

If that things succumbed to the force of gravity you aren't stopping it.

Boss Hog Bagger:

~1,400 pounds, 454 ci Chevy engine, 563 hp, Torque 545 ft. lbs.  There was a guy who rode with us who had one.  Massive, both the bike and rider! 

5 hours ago, dave2013 said:

Like I said, every system has its pros and cons.

I agree, at this point I can live and work in 4 nations, my mom was born in New Jersey so I could live and work in the USA if I wanted to, my brother moved there but I choose not to, I was born in Canada so have Canadian Citizenship, and also New Zealand Citizenship, and I am also free to live and work in Australia too. I have spent more then enough time in all 4 of these countries in my life to understand them. Their is not better just differences and to be honest in each one everything kind of just works out the same.

One example to not get political is gas prices, Currently we pay $5.94 a gallon for gas in New Zealand, you guys are currently paying about $3.15, but the differences are we are also paying our auto insurance personal injury coverage in our gas prices you guys are not, therefore in New Zealand we don't have to have auto insurance at all, that is optional. I choose to take out full comprehension coverage for my SUV and that works out to just under $500 a year for full coverage auto insurance. You guys pay close to $2400 a year for auto insurance which I find crazy, but when you work out your lower gas rates and higher insurance premiums that just ends up working out the same. When auto insurance is optional the insurance companies drop the rates way down because they are competing with the customer choosing to opt out entirely, therefore $500 a year is about average here.

I prefer our system, if you don't drive you don't get gas and you are not paying for insurance at all, you go on a road trip and fill up your tank your paying basic coverage, we are also an island so no where to drive to, I average about 7000 miles a year in driving because to be honest, I have no where to drive to , the average american drives 4 times more then that, so even paying less for gas in the USA per gallon you guys are still paying far more then we are based on usage.

All these factors tend to average out in many things when you do move between countries, best thing for me is enjoy everything Canada, USA, Australia or New Zealand has to offer when I spend time in each of them, all 4 are amazing places to be honest

3 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

If that things succumbed to the force of gravity you aren't stopping it.

Point of no return as we say...