The point is that the COUNTRY had the best economy in history, the 50’s being known by historians and economists as the golden age, the Middle Class was BORN, and even at 92% TMR, the rich did FINE. The TMR was in the 90’s from 1952-1963, mainly Eisenhower. FDR’s previous TMR was 94% at one time.
Those are easily verified facts which you should research to satisfy yourself.
Oh - and since BC/BS (employer supplied) was a NONPROFIT, it paid 100% of all claims from dollar one - there was no such thing as a copay.
Old timer here - born in 1945. When I was a kid our 4-family house was worth $10K (suburban eastern MA) my father made about $20K as a state highway tree surgeon (and he retired with a good pension & HC,) family of 4 groceries for the week (a station wagon full of bags) was about $25, a loaf of bread was (I think) 15-25cents, and I think a new car cost between $1-2K. Gas was 25 cents a gallon. Sorry, it’s not easy to remember that far back, but that’s pretty accurate for age around 10-12 (1955 or so.)
And the cars were nice looking, all steel, easy to work on, and lasted a lifetime.
BTW-our house and all the neighbors’ houses were huge. And we wanted for nothing. All bills were paid on time, and no loans were taken out.
Almost nobody paid that 92% rate due to the tax deductions available at the time. And the total amount of taxes collected by the government has remained relatively stable (~19-20%) regardless of the tax rates over history. Google "Hausers Law" if you don't believe me.
Notice how flat that brown line is? That's the level of revenue, and it hasn't changed much even as the rates have.
In the '50s, the country was still producing goods for the rest of the world than hadn't caught up yet from the ravages of WWII.
There are still non-profit health insurance companies today.
http://www.nonprofithealthcare.org/
Healthcare costs have risen as technology has provided more advanced treatments. If you want to limit yourself to '50s era healthcare, your costs would be minimal, and your premiums low.
You had a nice house, food, and cheap fuel, along with a life expectancy 10-15 years less than today.
Today we have $4.00 gasoline, (expectations of) McMansions, I-Phones, High speed internet access, Cable TV (plasma or LCD, of course), vacations that often involve Airplanes/Ships, and so many other baubles (that didn't exist in your youth).
Times have changed. Some for good, and some for bad.