[trimethylpurine]

You're right. They will help you get your forms filled out so that you can get the insurance coverage to handle that. It would be a huge oversight to let people walk away who could be a major profit center for the hospital if they'd just fill out the paperwork. It was, of course, the hospital lobby who pushed for a ban on refusing coverage for preexisting conditions. And they did succeed.

That would delay treatment, sadly, same as it would everywhere else in the world. Filling out forms is a barrier to healthcare no matter where you go. That barrier does seem to be bigger in the US. No doubt.

But healthcare is available, it is partly socialized, and given enough effort, it does work for a large majority of cases, as is evidenced by life expectancy.

I think what's unique about the US is that the burden of cost for the average American is put on their employer, which for many is a rich cooperation.

It's a tax on the rich. It's not perfect. But it's far from bad when compared with most other countries. Maybe even all others. Not sure.