Social Security Surplus

In Germany, sorry. Low unemployment blamed for another good year.

After health insurers found they had too much money, the 10 euro co-pay for doctor visits was abandoned at the beginning of 2013. Remember, this co-pay was for a whole quarter, and you could see as many doctors as needed.

Payroll deductions for retirement were reduced for 2013.

The new figures for 2012 show a surplus of 16 billion in the social welfare system (including unemployment, retirement, long term disability, etc).

Besides the good employment numbers, some of the surplus goes back to reforms implemented over the past decade or so, for example, co-payments for medication and lowered payments for dentures and oral surgery.

Unlike the US, the Germans have been more diligent raising the cut off level for social security contribution, although they kept the increases lower than we would have expected looking at inflation.

They also introduced income tax for social security benefits exceeding a certain amount. And, unlike in the golden era, life insurance payout after 65 are no longer tax free.

While some Germans moan under the cuts, you can still get health insurance for a family starting at around 200 dollars a month, including visual and dental.

Don't worry, though, people are people, so the same systemic challenges apply. Some are just handled better.

Paper records have been gone for a while, but incompetent doctors seem to get replaced by fresh incompetent doctors just like in the US.
Unnecessary surgery can be documented and billed no matter whether it is done on paper or by computer.

One more thing:
Remember there was this study years ago out of the Czech Republic, I believe, that showed how smoking was "good for society" because early deaths saved on social security payouts? Anybody feels like doing the same study for US gun deaths? Preferably someone with a proven science background, for example, on matters of legitimate rape or man bonks monkey equals HIV epidemic.