Nearly 19,000 NHS patients left waiting for three days in A&E over 12 months

[VaughanJB]

MIL is at 13k and moving to 15k and will be in her room on Medicaid.

Mumsy will be selfpay as she entrusted herself 100% in the hands of her daughter and SIL.

And I am very happy for you (if happy applies in such cases). I'm surprised you don't think others have a different experience, that's all.

You posted that you left 25 years ago.
What do UK prices have to do with Medicare?

Again - where do you find the numbers on average retirement and income?

Not sure why I have to explain this again, but.... I have family in the US, a wife and extended family whom I have to support. UK prices (which I haven't quoted, as I recall) are relevant only in a comparison.

Please just do a tiny bit of searching on Google. The average income for retirees in the US doesn't not allow for 8K a month charges. As I have stated, Medicaid coverage varies from state to state, accounting for differences you may have found.

 

[VaughanJB]

In this context, "caregiver" refers to people working in a facility who are responsible for front line care of residents/patients. Since you don't mention where you're talking about, I'm going by the City of Los Angeles's average caregiver wages (including employer contributions to FICA).

But since you agree $8K is justified there's no sense going down that rabbit hole.

I'm only looking at it from the patients point of view, as say, a customer. I don't question the overhead costs of these homes. It's also a job that I imagine is often harrowing and difficult, especially so when constantly dealing with patients suffering dementia and other mental illnesses.

 

[VaughanJB]

"On a monthly basis, the average income for U.S. adults 65 and older is $6,252. The median monthly income is $4,191."
Average Retirement Income in 2024 | The Motley Fool
So $75K annually average and $50K median.
This includes Social Security, pensions, salaries and investment income.

Another source:

• 65 to 69 years: $59,430 median income, $87,860 average income
• 70 to 74 years: $55,990 median income, $79,920 average income
• 75 years and over: $41,060 median income, $62,470 average income

https://moneywise.com/retirement/income-among-retirement-age-americans

I believe you're picking up the average annual SS benefit ($23K), which isn't the same as retirees' average income.

Social Security was neither intended nor portrayed to be the sole means of support in retirement years. It was suggested to be only one leg of a three legged retiree support stool. Savings/investments and pensions were the other two legs.

51 years ago (1974) the US government and banks began heavily touting Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to help people save for retirement in special tax advantaged accounts. Since you lived in the US during the 80s and 90s, you may recall the annual springtime barrage of inducements and reminders for people to fund their IRAs.

Nope. You have to look at income levels rather than blandly looking at it.

Average Retirement Income 2025: How Do You Compare?

America is made up of a lot of people, and many of them are not middle, let alone high, earners.

 

[VaughanJB]

trying to run a good health service can become very costly as the size of the population grows and ages - the NHS in Britain found that out?

Of course. But that's not really the point. As a nation, we can afford to run the NHS. Now think about the benefits it brings. It's not about costs, it's about bringing a good level of health care to everyone, no matter what they earn, no matter what they do. It's not perfect, nothing is. However, I am immensely proud our nation takes the health of the population seriously, and provide for all.

 

[Twostep]

Of course. But that's not really the point. As a nation, we can afford to run the NHS. Now think about the benefits it brings. It's not about costs, it's about bringing a good level of health care to everyone, no matter what they earn, no matter what they do. It's not perfect, nothing is. However, I am immensely proud our nation takes the health of the population seriously, and provide for all.

Will you please go out on line and read from of the annual reports of NHS and its providing for patients.

 

[StarSong]

Nope. You have to look at income levels rather than blandly looking at it.

Average Retirement Income 2025: How Do You Compare?

America is made up of a lot of people, and many of them are not middle, let alone high, earners.

The numbers your cited website shows are roughly the same as mine. You said in earlier posts that average income for retirees is $23K/year. None of the stats on your linked website states that.

I repeat: $23K/year is an average annual Social Security retiree benefit, not an average INCOME for American retirees.

However, all of this is neither here nor there if the person in your life needs dementia care in a facility, has few assets - liquid or otherwise, low income, and no relatives willing/able to help pay the bills. In that case, Medicaid would the answer.

Some American states make the benefits easier to qualify for than others, meaning fewer income and asset restrictions or less red tape or both.

Given HIPPA and other laws, arranging this will be a near impossible challenge for anyone who doesn't have legal and medical power of attorney for the person in question, plus sufficient medical documentation demonstrating (to the state's satisfaction) that the patient requires this care.

 

[Joey]

the elderly in Western countries are living longer but still getting sick and lame and require complex care at different levels. the staff employed are demanding higher salaries - and so they should! - in many western countries the number of kids per family has fallen to low figure which means less career fodder at a later stage for hospital work. These are easy enough concepts to understand and agree with - but there doesn't seem any govt or collection of govts who are willing and capable of rectifying these anomalies so that health care for all doesn't get worst but better?