[db48x]

I live in one of the highest–priced areas of the US, and a simple x–ray exam costs about $200 whether you have insurance or not. The difference in price is primarily due to the higher cost of living here than in Brazil; the tech who takes the x–ray and the doctor who looks at it to diagnose the problem get paid more here than there. I should know; I got hit by a car last year and sprained my thumb when I hit the ground. The x–ray was to check that the thumb was only sprained, and not broken.

But if you go to a hospital to get the same thing you will pay 10× as much or more. You’ll also have to wait a lot longer, as anyone with a more serious complaint will get prioritized ahead of you. Both of these are reasons why people should not generally visit the hospital, unless they have a problem which is immediately life–threatening, or they are admitted to the hospital by their primary–care physician.

> why should having minor health complications be synonym to bankruptcy in the richest country in the world?

It’s not. For all of the problems that our health–care system may or may not have, people don’t go bankrupt because they needed an x–ray.

[yesenadam]

> I live in one of the highest–priced areas of the US, and a simple x–ray exam costs about $200 whether you have insurance or not. The difference in price is primarily due to the higher cost of living here than in Brazil

Well, most x-rays are free here in Australia I believe, thanks to Medicare, so that "higher cost of living" explanation seems not to be right.

[db48x]

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. You pay taxes, and some of the taxes go towards health care.