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    137 points pg_1234 | 12 comments | | HN request time: 1.089s | source | bottom
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    cynicalsecurity ◴[] No.37271086[source]
    As much as I like my vacations, I would rather prefer US salary over it.
    replies(4): >>37271102 #>>37271114 #>>37271224 #>>37271600 #
    lionkor ◴[] No.37271102[source]
    Does the US salary hold up against the benefits you get in a well-off EU country? Namely free healthcare, automatic payments into pension fund, strong social system if you're ever in trouble, etc.?

    It seems to me that, as high as US salaries are, they arent that much higher compared to European salaries when you factor all this in, plus the face that a month of that work youre paid for youre OOO

    replies(7): >>37271151 #>>37271170 #>>37271203 #>>37271220 #>>37271232 #>>37271309 #>>37271522 #
    1. Longhanks ◴[] No.37271151[source]
    For Germany: "Free" as in waiting for months to get an appointment with a specialist? "Pension fund" as in gigantic ponzi scheme that requires 30% of the state‘s yearly budget, with no party having any kind of plan how to save the system? "Strong social system" as in being taken advantage of with the world‘s second highest taxes?

    Sure, I’d rather be super poor in Europe than in the US. But anybody above the poorest, anybody that can and wants to work for a living, I’d much rather try to find my luck in America.

    replies(5): >>37271191 #>>37271201 #>>37271212 #>>37271213 #>>37271904 #
    2. renewiltord ◴[] No.37271191[source]
    Sadly, you'll be waiting in America too if you're in SF. It's actually really poor customer service till you get the doctors.
    3. rightbyte ◴[] No.37271201[source]
    > "Pension fund" as in gigantic ponzi scheme that requires 30% of the state‘s yearly budget

    Why is that a problem? At macro scale you can't really save money. As long as the pension payouts are somewhat balanced to pay ins each year it is kinda fine.

    replies(1): >>37271362 #
    4. ubercore ◴[] No.37271212[source]
    Healthcare in the US is super uneven. I had longer wait times for appointments in the northeast than I do here in Norway now with the public system.

    You can get really lucky in the US and have a great experience, but you can also have really terrible ones _and_ pay quite a bit for it.

    5. ghosty141 ◴[] No.37271213[source]
    Free as in I can get flown to the ER without having to worry to go bankrupt.

    Strong social system as in you get 60% of your salary if you go unemployed for s year.

    Im not sure you realize that lots of things you pay are for the chance something doesnt go as planned in your life. Ofc its better to live in the US from a financial standpoint if everything works out and you never get sick or unemployed etc

    replies(1): >>37271252 #
    6. jakewins ◴[] No.37271252[source]
    All US full time positions include health insurance, the insurance included with a good software job is, in my experience, miles and miles better than the one I now get in Scandinavia.
    replies(3): >>37271480 #>>37271543 #>>37273911 #
    7. lotsofpulp ◴[] No.37271362[source]
    It is a problem once the ratio of money in to money out diverges from previous projections, such as due to unbudgeted increases in proportions of non working and/or lower earning populations.

    Then you have to start adjusting the money in (higher taxes) and money out (reduced benefits), and different people in different ages/income/wealth levels start having different opinions.

    8. Moldoteck ◴[] No.37271480{3}[source]
    The question is would you keep the job and as consequence the insurance if you get seriously ill?
    replies(1): >>37271619 #
    9. basisword ◴[] No.37271543{3}[source]
    That’s great until you get laid off. The added stress of job hunting while also hoping nothing happens to your health until you’re fully employed again can’t be easy.
    10. jakewins ◴[] No.37271619{4}[source]
    The disability insurance that was included with my US job was significantly better than the one I have now.

    If I was let go I would retain health coverage through COBRA.

    Let’s be clear: The US health system is a shit show, it’s just not - mostly - one that impacts high salaried employees (if it did it would have changed long ago..)

    11. lionkor ◴[] No.37271904[source]
    The specialist waiting times are a pain, yeah, but its free. If I break my leg in an accident, need to go to hospital by ambulance or heli, get my leg fixed, followed by rehabilitation, thats also free, except for having to pay a maximum of 5€ on meds you are prescribed when you buy them.

    Strong social system just means that whatever happens to you, you can live in a home and eat food, as long as you try to get government benefits of some kind. Or for example, as a student, your costs of living are covered by Bafög, which is a kind of loan you pack back 50% of.

    12. theshrike79 ◴[] No.37273911{3}[source]
    Include health insurance … for hospitals and doctors who are in network.

    Do you have the wits to determine a all times what hospital you can go to and still get it covered by insurance? Even with a broken femur and a concussion?