Anybody who doesn't think the healthcare system in the U.S. isn't fucked just isn't realistic. It's the most expensive in the world and I'd say not better.
From an employer perspective on health insurance:
It costs $1,528 per month, per employee, on my group plan for the employee + spouse. That's an 80-20 plan with a $5,000 deductible without maternity benefits or preventative. I pay half, the employee pays the other half. We're at the point where the cost of health insurance has exceeded the cost of rent for some employees. It's also over $550,000 per year in total premiums for 30 employees.
Just as a point of reference, it cost less to attend medical school in Texas (tuition and fees) than it does to pay for health insurance. It would also cost less to fly to Europe once per month and pay full tariff for routine healthcare and still have change left over. It would probably cost less to hire a private physician to work in the office (don't actually know this for sure, it's a complete guess).
Like Blonde, I've also been to a foreign hospital once and got sick another time. The trip in an ambulance, ER visit, and treatment was under $500 in Paris. My fucking ER co-pay is $500. Another time, while coming back from Spain, I caught some bad water and ended up with giardia or some shit. The trip to the private doc in Haarlem was 20 Euros, and the blister pack prescription was 2 Euros and change. Not generic shit either. Get home go see PCP in Fort Worth. pay the $30 co-pay, get the script for the medicine, and have a $60 co-pay. The other difference I'd point out. the hospital staff in Paris spoke better English than the Indian and Vietnamese staff in Arlington, Texas.
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