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That's an odd way to put it. To counterbalance, europe in general is far less litigious and you get public healthcare. Come to to northern europe and you get a stable, very non-corrupt governance and a highly educated workforce.

US has huge internal markets - I would see this as the main benefit. Otherwise than that, if you make an actual good product, know marketing and are not terribly dependent on US VC money (which is hardly the only source of capital) I fail to to see the problem.

Sure, there are laws for holidays and such but that does not limit business, IMO, only the amount of arbitrary power employers have over their employees. It does not limit global market opportunities in any way.

It would be harder to launch a service like Uber though that tries to take on entrenched incumbent local players. Target global b2b or consumer markets and the problem goes away.

All of this is my personal understanding, and I might be wrong. If so, then please educate me with countering facts.



Canada has public healthcare as well, although it's probably worse than US paid for healtchcare. Public healthcare usually means long queues and substandard health services. It's okay if you're poor, but that's why in Europre we also paying for private health insurance when we can afford it. In the US you have the option not to pay for health insurance, in Europe you have to pay for it regardless of what you get in return. France is probably different, but Franch healthcare is going broke so it will only get worse if they don't do something about it soon enough.

Most of the big business in Europe is either 1. American 2. state owned or 3. companies founded before before WW1. It's almost impossible to launch a company with a growth rate compared to that of Uber in Europe. You would get kocked down by taxes and regulations before you know it.


All healthcare systems have their faults. It isn't like folks never wait for care in the US: Some folks wait months for a neurologist, for example, mostly becasue they are booked up.

I'm in Norway. There is public health care. Sometimes there is a wait, sometimes not. You have the option to pay for private care, if you want. But I'm never going to have to worry about not being able to afford care. This alone makes a huge lifestyle change. Not just for me: But for children and lots of other folks as well.

In addition, some caveats of care are much better here. You can choose the cheaper but better outcomed care option. For example, they send a nurse out to someone's house up to 6 times a day before someone is eligible for a nursing home. Even if you live in a secluded spot on a mountain or island. Why? It is cheaper and folks tend to live longer this way.


Home health is a significant practice in the US. I can't give a pithy summary of it, but Medicare pays for it in many situations where a nursing home is not medically necessary.

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services.html


from the link:

You're not eligible for the home health benefit if you need more than part-time or "intermittent" skilled nursing care.

Now, the mouse over says that 'part time or intermittent' means less than 7 days each week or less than 8 hours each day over a period of 21 days or less - unless you have special circumstances. In other words, sure, as long as it is temporary.In addition, you have to be homebound, only leaving for short, infrequent things for medical care, religious services, and the like.

I'm not even sure most folks know that stuff exists judging by how many people take care of their elderly parents. Perhaps it is much like disability and they turn down a lot of people?

Here it isn't a short term situation. You get a nurse for up to 6 visits a day, even if you need all 6 visits every day for 10 years. In fact, you aren't eligible for a nursing home unless your needs exceed this. It isn't so much if you are homebound, but that you need the medical care (though you might be mostly homebound with that).


Perhaps it is much like disability and they turn down a lot of people?

Reimbursement for a stay in a nursing home would also be subject to a doctor deeming it necessary (and also whatever rules Medicare has about it), home care is just a lower level of care in that sense.

I wasn't really trying to compare the programs, I just saw the possibility in your comment that were not very aware of it in the US.


I probably compare out of habit. I'm American and am immigrant here in Norway - I note differences, and the stuff that is similar isn't so noteworthy. Neither system is perfect.

Reimbursement for the nursing homes... admittedly, most of what I know about payment for american nursing homes is probably rumor, "friend of a friend lost had to sell the house for the nursing home payment" sort of thing. Didn't pay much attention, then was taught the cost in class here in Norway.


Yeah, coverage is limited. There are a wide variety of long term care options that can easily run into thousands per month, so someone with a fixed income that won't cover that will end up selling assets until they qualify for Medicaid.


" It's almost impossible to launch a company with a growth rate compared to that of Uber in Europe. "

I'm pretty sure the market is filled with unregulated niches that don't require you to shift the balance of the universe to be successful.

Yes, US seems to be winning in terms of environment which facilitates the rapid growth of paradigm shifting companies. I did not claim otherwise - I merely countered the proposal that it would be counterproductive to try to do business in Europe altogether. Not as inducive to growth is a different thing from disabling profitable companies altogether.

I'm hard pressed to quantify the quality of public healthcare. Patient outcomes are a different thing than what the service feels like. I agree, it's sometimes painstakingly hard to find good healthcare but in my experience that applies to both public and private as equally - the more rare the condition, the harder it is to find a helpful diagnosis and a plan to proceed.

The professional capability of the tending doctor is the most critical factor. I've met outstanding professionals in the public space and private clinic doctors who have been sloppy and unattentive - and vise versa.

Of course, if budgets strain, the quality of care decreases.


Not everyone considers incubating their Shttr app to be the be all and end all.




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