It keeps striking me. Really have no idea how this crap could be happening. Is that a consequence of democracy? But none of the other rich and democratic countries has any of that shit. Here is Cyprus we have same life expectancy as in the U.S. (ok 3 months shorter) and the healthcare is paid for by a tax of 2.65% of income (but it is charged on any and all income including those kinds of it exempt from any other taxes, except there is a cap of taxable income of 180,000 EUR per person per year). On top of that there are purely symbolical charges (say a doctor visit is usually 1 euro) probably only to keep track of these visits. Seems to be enough. And no it's not Soviet-style healthcare, and doctors are not poor - they all drive new BMWs, have good houses and stuff, and appear to be doing just as well as their American colleagues. What's going on there in the U.S. people?!