[anonymars]

This assertion is extremely privileged and I heartily disagree with it

Even if we're just going to say "diet and exercise" it is a privilege to not live in a food desert and have sidewalks. If we are to mention the free yearly physical it's a privilege to have a doctor nearby and be able to get the time off work

So no, I don't think I am the one missing the point

[xedrac]

I would assert that nearly anyone can find a place to walk, or climb stairs, even if it's while they eat or work. Healthy food may be harder to come by for some, either because of expense or lack of availability. But again, fasting is a great protection against so many modern eating related problems, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The point is that nearly everyone can improve their preventative standing, even the less fortunate.

[anonymars]

It baffles me that an offhand example not applying 100% of the time is used to dismiss the broader point as invalid and/or ridiculous. Though I now notice that even the original point with shoes was treated the same way: "in this single pedantic example with running shoes the situation doesn't hold, therefore I reject the entire idea as invalid"

No one is saying "all medical issues are more expensive if you're poor" or "it's impossible to be healthier if you're poor." All of that is fantastic, but it in no way disproves the catch-22 that it is often more expensive to be poor, in many ways, including medicine. Particularly in the US with its clusterfuck confusopoly of copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and so on, so the mere act of going to any doctor is a gamble