Coronavirus - Overall
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Although the Japanese system is having trouble paying for itself as we get less workers, we pay 20/30% and the government pays 80/70% and the system works well.
It costs me about $100 for my MRIs and about $10-$20 for a doctor visit.
Still, some ppl take advantage - with young kids you can go a bit crazy as kids stuff is free. So, take your kids in with a red spot and walk out with a bunch of medicated moisturizer.
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@MiketheSnow said in Coronavirus - Overall:
Bands of payment based on ability to pay up to a maximum charge regardless of wealth seems the fairest all round.
How do you assess "ability to pay"? Sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare and playing the politics of envy.
While the UK population thinks the NHS is either (a) under-funded (whatever that actually means) or (b) is somehow the "envy of the world", nothing is going to change on the NHS front. It will continue to deliver poor quality medical care and health outcomes compared to other countries, while spending above -average amounts of taxpayers money.
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@pakman said in Coronavirus - Overall:
NI WILL get reformed. Some general increases but even Tony Blair has pointed out that the only near term way out is to grow the economy, so entrepeneurs can't be spanked too hard?!
Don't you believe it. There's still a strong-ish cultural opposition in the UK against people making money and taking risks.
Just ask Jamie Oliver or the crap that gets thrown at James Dyson or JCB because they manufacture in Asia.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Coronavirus - Overall:
@pakman said in Coronavirus - Overall:
NI WILL get reformed. Some general increases but even Tony Blair has pointed out that the only near term way out is to grow the economy, so entrepeneurs can't be spanked too hard?!
Don't you believe it. There's still a strong-ish cultural opposition in the UK against people making money and taking risks.
Just ask Jamie Oliver or the crap that gets thrown at James Dyson or JCB because they manufacture in Asia.
The media here plays a huge part. As they absolutely love to build up a persons profile / persona and them smash it down.
There is a still a strong appetite here to support entrepreneurship, perhaps more so for those that are out of the public eye. I certainly feel here that everybody has a shot at it, which is not the case in many other places. You stood zero chance of becoming extremely wealthy in Asia unless your family was already part of the money club.
I still remember when working at a US Bank there, we were trying to bring this kid into our business line and the head of the area saying no as he didn't have the right background. It was a non-sales role so relationships /network meant jack shit, whilst skills and worth ethic meant everything.
Perhaps for early entry into the big jobs that's still a ridiculously high factor in the UK, but not for progressive roles.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Coronavirus - Overall:
@pakman said in Coronavirus - Overall:
NI WILL get reformed. Some general increases but even Tony Blair has pointed out that the only near term way out is to grow the economy, so entrepeneurs can't be spanked too hard?!
Don't you believe it. There's still a strong-ish cultural opposition in the UK against people making money and taking risks.
Just ask Jamie Oliver or the crap that gets thrown at James Dyson or JCB because they manufacture in Asia.
I understand the tall poppy point.
But given the size of the Tory majority I can't see the top rate of tax rising more than 5%.
Around a month ago entrepeneural CGT review got a big change. Think anyone making less than £1m unaffected, but the 'fat cats' on more standard CGT rates above that.
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@pakman said in Coronavirus - Overall:
But given the size of the Tory majority I can't see the top arte of tax rising more than 5%.
When you add on Employers & Employee NI, UK tax rates are really high. I don't think there's any alternative but to raise taxes, regardless of parliamentary majority.
The tax structure is just too complicated and tax rates way too high (with the exception of Corporation tax). Start scrapping fiddly allowances and cut rates or scrap certain taxes completely.
Around a month ago entrepeneural CGT review got a big change. Think anyone making less than £1m unaffected, but the 'fat cats' on more standard CGT rates above that.
A million quid seems a lot - It will buy you an indexed-linked pension for one junior Civil servant retiring at 60...
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@Victor-Meldrew and VAT, vehicle excise duty, additional duty on tobacco, alcohol, fuel, Inheritance Tax, loss of personal allowance additional tax on your pension scheme doing well.
The system needs simplifying, giving people less incentive to evade or avoid payment. It’s not worth the hassle to avoid 35% (say) tax but 60% is a whole other ball game.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Coronavirus - Overall:
@pakman said in Coronavirus - Overall:
But given the size of the Tory majority I can't see the top arte of tax rising more than 5%.
When you add on Employers & Employee NI, UK tax rates are really high. I don't think there's any alternative but to raise taxes, regardless of parliamentary majority.
The tax structure is just too complicated and tax rates way too high (with the exception of Corporation tax). Start scrapping fiddly allowances and cut rates or scrap certain taxes completely.
Around a month ago entrepeneural CGT review got a big change. Think anyone making less than £1m unaffected, but the 'fat cats' on more standard CGT rates above that.
A million quid seems a lot - It will buy you an indexed-linked pension for one junior Civil servant retiring at 60...
I'd guess about GBP30k a year for life.
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I wouldn't expect anything less.
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@Toddy said in Coronavirus - Overall:
How is Greece not completely fu*ked? Ton of smokers, old population, generational living arrangements, poor public health system etc. Is it purely a case of covid19 not getting a hold there yet and the worst is to come? Or is there some other reason for low infection rate?
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@Toddy said in Coronavirus - Overall:
@Toddy said in Coronavirus - Overall:
How is Greece not completely fu*ked? Ton of smokers, old population, generational living arrangements, poor public health system etc. Is it purely a case of covid19 not getting a hold there yet and the worst is to come? Or is there some other reason for low infection rate?
Olive oil.
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@dogmeat said in Coronavirus - Overall:
@Frank where'd they find the extra virgin?
a horse farm in the Waikato
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While we thought high smoking rates might have been a factor in the Italian spread, it seems smoking might actually reduce your risk of the disease!
French researchers are planning to test nicotine patches on coronavirus patients and frontline health workers after a study suggested smokers may be much less at risk of contracting the virus.
The study at a major Paris hospital suggests a substance in tobacco – possibly nicotine – may be stopping patients who smoke from catching Covid-19. Clinical trials of nicotine patches are awaiting the approval of the country’s health authorities.
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@barbarian said in Coronavirus - Overall:
While we thought high smoking rates might have been a factor in the Italian spread, it seems smoking might actually reduce your risk of the disease!
French researchers are planning to test nicotine patches on coronavirus patients and frontline health workers after a study suggested smokers may be much less at risk of contracting the virus.
The study at a major Paris hospital suggests a substance in tobacco – possibly nicotine – may be stopping patients who smoke from catching Covid-19. Clinical trials of nicotine patches are awaiting the approval of the country’s health authorities.
pffft the French think smoking cures everything
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@mariner4life said in Coronavirus - Overall:
pffft the French think smoking cures everything
And butter.
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@barbarian said in Coronavirus - Overall:
@mariner4life said in Coronavirus - Overall:
pffft the French think smoking cures everything
And butter.
in this case, they may be right
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This post is deleted!
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@mariner4life said in Coronavirus - Overall:
pffft the French think smoking cures everything
Their '99 & '07 RWC Teams were notoriously heavy smokers..
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Coronavirus - Overall:
@mariner4life said in Coronavirus - Overall:
pffft the French think smoking cures everything
Their '99 & '07 RWC Teams were notoriously heavy smokers..
I saw Roger Federer having a crafty one after a curry at the Wimbledon tandoori when Tony Roche was his coach!