Here’s an article from Cornell discussing the issue — Hundreds of thousands declare bankruptcy yearly because of healthcare. It’s not speculation, it’s fact: https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/scheinman-institute/blog/john-august-healthcare/healthcare-insights-how-medical-debt-crushing-100-million-americans

While being American doesn’t necessarily make me an expert, I have lived in the country my whole life and while it’s not a terrible country, we’re behind other developed countries in some important ways. What being American provides me is a deep insight into what live is like living here, something that most people who haven’t lived here or visited long-term have.

As for education, I have one semester left in my 4 year degree, expecting to graduate in December. I’m studying computer science and music. In addition to this, I have brief insights to other areas, such as sustainability, sociology, race, government, and data ethics due to general ed requirements at a liberal arts school. I’ll also be taking a course on poverty studies this fall. So while I wouldn’t say I’m extremely education, I have a higher education level than the average American, as the majority have either a high school diploma or 2 year degree.

My conclusions, while influenced by the toenail, are largely based on my knowledge of healthcare and insurance costs. Even from family experience — Both my parents work full time and last year, we spent well over $20,000 between health insurance and healthcare, despite health insurance being a job benefit of my parents. The toenail is simply a personal example I use to demonstrate the outrageous price of a specific procedure — $5,000 with insurance and including what insurance covered, $12,000. I would be open to more examples being provided, such as joint replacement, appendix removal, brain surgery, or cancer treatment costs.

Feel free to ask if there’s anything else you’d like me to clarify form my original comment