What kinds of Social Services Does Your Country or State Have?

Ruthanne

Ruthanne

Caregiver
Location
Midwest
In the USA we have Social Security for the elderly that is based on how much they earned. I think they should expand on this and pay them more that is to those who need it.

We have Medicare and Medicaid Health Insurance for Seniors and the Disabled. Medicare requires some copays while Medicaid does not and pays for everything including prescriptions. I think Medicaid now is assisting many with low incomes, too, since Obamacare came into service.

Our Police and Fire services are paid by taxes.

There is some govt. funded housing services for people with different conditions such as homelessness, alcoholism and in abstinence, and disabled and for folks over 62. The tenant usually pays about 30% of their monthly govt. check for rent.

There are a lot of senior services that I am not totally not aware of and maybe some of you can help me out on that. I think there is Meals on Wheels. I am not yet 62 so not so familiar with these yet.
 

Hubby, is all but disabled and a good ahem 60$ over the limit of Medicaid...too young by a few years for Medicare. But our combined daily prescriptions a month are maybe $600 dollars? $#%*^$% bastards...
 

Here in the UK we pay a percentage of our income in 'National Insurance', up to a certain limit. In return we get...

A pension of around £115 a week (currently around $150) from age 65 (and going up rapidly).
All medical care is free at point of delivery.
Except in England, prescriptions, eye tests etc.. are free.
Free bus travel from age 60 (except in England where it's from state pension age)

A certain amounto of social housing, "sheltered accomodation" etc.. is also available.
 
So we see how bass akwards the US is in terms of health care? Hey if you're moderately old and in ill health well sucks to be you. But letting you die off saves somebody money in the long run. But if you had the right job with the right benefits? Well step right up to the latest therapies. If we can't cure it we can certainly make your life more comfortable.
 
Our Australian system is rather complex.

There are various pensions from the national government - disability, unemployment and aged and each has its own eligibility requirements. Additionally, there are means tests that mean that you might not receive the full pension or none at all. Hubby and I receive part aged pensions because we have assets in the form of superannuation investments. We receive an income stream from our superannuation investments but not enough to further reduce the pension. As part pensioners we are entitled to subsidised prescriptions and bulk billing at the doctor which means we pay nothing to visit the general practitioner. To see a specialist there is usually a gap payment needed and for that we pay our own private hospital and medical insurance. The health insurance is subsided through the tax rebates.

Veterans receive the most generous pensions in that they are not means tested and provide extra benefits such as taxis to and from medical appointments and free appliances such as wheelchairs and so on.

A person's work history and working wage have no bearing on the government pensions but does allow some to put away more than others in their superannuation savings.

Ruthanne said:
In the USA we have Social Security for the elderly that is based on how much they earned. I think they should expand on this and pay them more that is to those who need it.

We have Medicare and Medicaid Health Insurance for Seniors and the Disabled. Medicare requires some copays while Medicaid does not and pays for everything including prescriptions. I think Medicaid now is assisting many with low incomes, too, since Obamacare came into service.

Our Police and Fire services are paid by taxes.

There is some govt. funded housing services for people with different conditions such as homelessness, alcoholism and in abstinence, and disabled and for folks over 62. The tenant usually pays about 30% of their monthly govt. check for rent.

There are a lot of senior services that I am not totally not aware of and maybe some of you can help me out on that. I think there is Meals on Wheels. I am not yet 62 so not so familiar with these yet.
Click to expand...
 
I would add this to what Capt Lightning has said. Although the National Insurance contribution was intended to cover pensions, sickness and invalidity benefits. The waters over contributions towards this has been muddied a lot in the past. Much of what is paid in these benefits comes now from direct income tax. Furthermore, there are what used to be called 'non-contributory' benefits that are paid to jobseekers and those unable to work through disability. And, I think that there is still the Social Fund that covers miscellaneous payments for urgent needs, including maternity and funerals.
 
Interestingly enough,my sister had much better prescription coverage on Medicaid (she is disabled and low income) than she did when she hit 65 and graduated to retirement Medicare, and on Medicaid she didn't have to worry about the donut hole.
 
Butterfly said:
Interestingly enough,my sister had much better prescription coverage on Medicaid (she is disabled and low income) than she did when she hit 65 and graduated to retirement Medicare, and on Medicaid she didn't have to worry about the donut hole.
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Yes, doesn't seem fair does it?
 
I know there are more people here from other countries, woo hoo, how about telling us about your social services of your country?
 
Hmmm, well let's see:

When we turn 60, we can apply for CPP which is a Canadian Pension Plan that we along with our employers contribute to while we work. The amount received depends on our total income through our working years. For example, I took mine five years early and I get $628.00 per month.

When we turn 65, we apply for Old Age Security and for example, my husband will be getting an additional $573/month approximately.

If you have an income of less than $17,000/yr, you will get an additional Guaranteed Income Supplement of $856.00/month and if your spouse receives the OAS as well, you will receive $515.00

In the Maritimes where I live currently, my taxes are a bit higher than other parts of the country and those taxes pay my monthly premium for medical coverage. When I move back to BC, my taxes are a bit lower and our medical premium will be about $136.00 for a couple, per month.

I'm not sure though about pharmaceutical coverages because we've always earned too much to qualify.

A little bit of info, but there's probably also more involved so maybe Shalimar can fill in any blanks.
 
Debby said:
Hmmm, well let's see:

When we turn 60, we can apply for CPP which is a Canadian Pension Plan that we along with our employers contribute to while we work. The amount received depends on our total income through our working years. For example, I took mine five years early and I get $628.00 per month.

When we turn 65, we apply for Old Age Security and for example, my husband will be getting an additional $573/month approximately.

If you have an income of less than $17,000/yr, you will get an additional Guaranteed Income Supplement of $856.00/month and if your spouse receives the OAS as well, you will receive $515.00

In the Maritimes where I live currently, my taxes are a bit higher than other parts of the country and those taxes pay my monthly premium for medical coverage. When I move back to BC, my taxes are a bit lower and our medical premium will be about $136.00 for a couple, per month.

I'm not sure though about pharmaceutical coverages because we've always earned too much to qualify.

A little bit of info, but there's probably also more involved so maybe Shalimar can fill in any blanks.
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Thanks, Debby, it's good to know how other countries fare.
 
Ruthanne said:
Yes, doesn't seem fair does it?
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NO, it isn't fair. Also, before she was 65 she got the "extra help" to reduce her rx co-pays to almost nothing, and the state paid her Medicare premiums (here you go on Medicare after being disabled for a certain time, but Medicaid subsidizes it). After she went on Medicare, after the first COLA raise she got about $15 too much to keep that "extra help," and she also got too much for the state to pay her Medicare premium. So she wound up quite a bit worse off.
 
Butterfly said:
NO, it isn't fair. Also, before she was 65 she got the "extra help" to reduce her rx co-pays to almost nothing, and the state paid her Medicare premiums (here you go on Medicare after being disabled for a certain time, but Medicaid subsidizes it). After she went on Medicare, after the first COLA raise she got about $15 too much to keep that "extra help," and she also got too much for the state to pay her Medicare premium. So she wound up quite a bit worse off.
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That's really sad.
 

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