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Comment by wimgz | Hacker News Reader

US is very different than Europe, because you pay from your own pocket for a lot of things (eg healthcare) that are state sponsored elsewhere. Also factor rent in NYC/SV

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Employers in the US provide healthcare if you work full-time. You may pay a premium, but it's probably similar to the taxes you paying EU, if not lower.

Lower for who ?

https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-...

That's what countries spend in total, I was talking about in context of individuals with good jobs (employer provided healthcare)

Btw a large reason why the US spends more on healthcare than other countries is research & development.

Don't you lose your job sponsored health care after being laid off ? Or is it expected that companies keeps you employed when you get a cancer / other high impact health issues ?

You'll most likely fall under COBRA protection (https://www.healthcare.gov/unemployed/cobra-coverage/)

where you can keep your employer coverage for 18 months while you find a new job.

If you don't pay for it from your own pocket, you pay for it in taxes.

Yes but if you're out of the ultra capitalist private US healthcare business that we're trapped in, you pay way less through taxes.

https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-...

That matters for populations, not individuals.

Someone earning $200k doesn't really need to worry about that kind of thing.

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