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Comment by astrange | Hacker News Reader

US FAANG health insurance is better and cheaper than (Australian) Medicare, which doesn't cover dentists/therapists/psychiatrists/etc. Universal systems are of course better once you're too sick to keep your job.

Also, Sydney's cost of living and housing crisis is apparently even worse than SV, though I don't understand how that's possible. We're very dedicated to making housing expensive here.

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Yeah maybe FAANG health insurance IS better and cheaper, I don't know. But I do know the general populous is better off with their insurance in Aus than the US. It's not just about your insurance, but about everyones. Less homeless, less poverty etc.

The homelessness is a West Coast thing caused by not having enough housing and banning cheap fixes like SROs. A lot of other things like mental health problems too, but many of those are caused by homelessness rather than causing it.

Even NYC doesn’t have as much of a homeless problem because they’re better about putting the people in homes.

Australian Medicare almost covers nothing, I've always used private healthcare for things like dental and optical. It's a system designed to help people who are unable to afford private healthcare, which I have no problem with.

Dentists are covered by Medicare and are basically free (bulk billed).

And Sydney doesn't really have a housing crisis anymore than Manhattan does. It's just that people want to live inner city without having to pay for it. You can find plenty of reasonably priced property if you go further out.

I’m not sure if you’re thinking of somewhere else, but Medicare does not cover dentistry - some health services have dentistry but it basically takes care of those who are having poor Health outcomes due to poor dentition (my housemate at Med school was studying dentistry and used to do a couple days out at westmead a week drilling on these people).

IIRC dentistry is only covered in fringe cases for health related reasons i.e. you need this done or you will get very sick or die. Also under some concession schemes. Otherwise, regular check ups, cleaning, fillings, and basic extractions are not covered at all for the general population.

AU FAANG pay for health insurance too.

I was actually just looking at this and our benefits in AU seem to be A$3000 a year allowance towards a private plan. That doesn't seem like a lot, but maybe it's enough.

That gets a good private plan here. Also that's after a large corporate discount

I'd be inclined to bank the 3k/year and insure yourself - PHI in Australia is a borderline scam and half the time you'll end up in the public system anyway.

Yes and no - if I was in real trouble I’d want to end up in the public system (where I work and where the care is the best) but PHI is great for the things you never know are going to happen. Generally your life will be fine without it though

Private health insurance in Australia is quite cheap - my silver extras plan is $480/quarter (dentistry and basically anything else that could happen to me)

Google Australia health insurance is about ~10k/year for a family (2 adults, 2 kids) to replicate outside - BUPA Corporate Platinum 90.

There seems to be a double standard in every company that I applied to where the perks are more generous for US staffs. My friend works for an Australian unicorn expanding to the US who offers RSU for US staff but only share maching for Australians.

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