U.S. Health Care -- even for people who are pretty well off -- is disastrous

Here's an answer of Quora to the following question: "Why do many people (including the Americans who left the US) say that living in the US is hard and that leaving the country was the best choice they ever made?"

I haven’t left (yet), but this is what happened to my parents.

My parents worked hard and saved the way they were told to save. They retired in their mid-60s with $750k in retirement accounts, $6k/month in social security, and a paid off house.

My mom got breast cancer (for the third time) when she was 70. She spent the last 20 years of her career working for Blue Cross Blue Shield. I mention that to show she had a deep understanding of how health insurance in America works. The only people in America with better health insurance than my parents had are members of Congress. Her mistake was not dying quickly enough. Even with the most comprehensive Medicare supplements available, it still cost my parents about $175k out of pocket over the six-ish years my mom was in treatment. That’s just medical bills.

Three years after my mom died, my dad had a heart attack. He selfishly survived, but being in his late 70s, he couldn’t live by himself anymore. Again, being the good forward thinking Muricans, my parents had long term care insurance. The benefit was “unlimited” with a 3% annual cost of living adjustment — the Cadillac of long term care policies. “Unlimited” meant up to $500k total. It’s going to run out this August. So unless he has the common courtesy to die, he’s going to have to start paying the $12k a month bill himself (it’s an okay spot, not the Four Seasons). Except he probably won’t be dead, because his diet, medications, and exercise are controlled.

My mom’s SSI went away when she died, so my dad has about $3,500/month instead of the $6k. He’s going to have to burn through his savings — that he wanted to pass on to his kids and grandkids — or commit suicide.

This isn’t about me. I don’t need his money. My sister doesn’t need his money. This is about doing all the bullshit you’re supposed to do, for more than 40 years, to chase the American dream, only to have to either die or piss it away to the healthcare industry.

Please explain the upside of American healthcare to me.

Note: Medicare and Medicare supplements don’t cover assisted living.

Addendum: Medicare paid more than $2 million to MD Anderson and various doctors’ offices and drug companies for my mom’s treatment. So, American healthcare isn’t even “fiscally” responsible in its cruelty; it’s just cruel.

Frightening.