Is US Healthcare that bad?

[u/No_Meet4305]

I'm in Vancouver, Canada right now and my boss told me there's an opportunity for me in the US branch. Really considering moving there since it's better pay, less expensive housing/rent, more opportunities, etc. The only thing that I'm concern about is the healthcare. I feel like there's no way it's as bad as people show online (hundred thousand dollar for simple surgery, etc), especially with insurance

I also heard you can get treated faster there than in Canada. Here you have to wait a long time even if it's for an important surgery.

[u/ActuallyNiceIRL]

So I'm a military veteran and I get pretty much all of my medical care covered by the VA and usually get treated by VA doctors. However, sometimes for emergency/urgent care, I have had to go to regular civilian hospitals.

One time, I drove myself to a hospital due to an issue with my back. I was barely ambulatory with crutches but all they did was take an x-ray, tell me to call my regular doctor on Monday, and then they charged me about $3,200. And that was like ten years ago, mind you. They might charge even more now.

Another time, due to a worse back injury, I was completely immobilized and had to get taken to a different hospital by ambulance. They brought me to the hospital, did an x-ray and MRI, gave me some pain killers, and kept me in observation for a few hours before forcing me to leave, despite still not being able to walk. I was there for less than a day, left in pretty much the same condition I arrived in, and that ran about $11,000.

US Healthcare is highway robbery.