[Semaphor]

A pure CT Scan in Germany (paid for by public health insurance unless you do one for fun), without anything else (consultation, contrast materials, etc.) is billed 110-170 € (USD 120-190). Considering labor is more expensive here, that sounds comparable.

[bluedino]

But what is the 'real cost'? Is it that much higher in Germany than the USA? What does the CT tech make, how much was the machine to buy, how expensive is the rent where the machine is installed, what are electricity costs...

[Semaphor]

I’m confused, US costs are far higher, so I don’t think I understand what you are asking.

[ornornor]

For contrast (pun!), Switzerland just across the border charges 6–7 times as much for the same thing. And medication too, it costs multiples more for the same medicine in CH than anywhere else in Europe just because.

[Semaphor]

You also earn closer to US salaries. A friend of mine moved to Switzerland, and he jokes that Swiss cleaners at the border hire German cleaners for their places ;)

[ornornor]

> You also earn closer to US salaries.

Indeed. It doesn't mean either the US or the Swiss aren't getting gouged when it comes to health prices (and prices in general in CH).

But yes, AFAIK, there is no minimum wage in CH but the defacto minimum wage hovers around 50--60k CHF a year and 20 or 25 days PTO. On the other hand, health insurance alone with a 2500 CHF deductible and 10% copay afterwards costs 300--400 CHF a month no problem.

[Broken_Hippo]

"You also earn closer to US salaries."

You say this like it is a good thing. Do folks at the bottom third have to endure the same sort of poverty, earning wages their parents earned yet paying more for everything?

Oh, I'm guessing you just mean folks that are in certain fields, and that really isn't representative of US wages. Normal folks are pretty poor.

[Semaphor]

> You say this like it is a good thing.

No, I did not. It was pretty value neutral.

> Oh, I'm guessing you just mean folks that are in certain fields

I guess it was a bit roundabout. The USA being the USA, people are often severely underpaid, which does not seem to be the case in Switzerland. But considering where we are, I mean tech salaries, which are pretty high.