This is absurd. Even in a country with liberal economics and "free choice" health system (however with universal care, and state regulation), the same stitches in a world-class private clinic in Santiago, Chile would cost 400 USD,
before insurance. The clinics there are not the ones Americans imagine from a middle-income country, most of them have better infrastructure and doctors than the ones I know in Europe. And I don't even need to start talking about health services in Europe, where I live.
This is the kind of things that show how inviable is a market-led economy without proper regulation. Let the powerful profit from the weak and you'll see this kind of thing every time.
If you compare life expectancy in Chile and some other Latin-American countries with universal care[1], they are higher than in the US, despite being a more unequal and/or poorer.
[1] https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/life-expectancy?tab=chart...
Edit: Many commenters miss the point. The US leads the way in too many areas and at least I expect them to be an example of the benefits of free market economy. Some have mentioned that regulation is indeed the problem. I would say, that we need the right regulation so the right incentives are put in place, in benefit of the market and competition. So at best it would be better not to have the industry dictate the regulation.
This is the kind of things that show how inviable is a market-led economy without proper regulation. Let the powerful profit from the weak and you'll see this kind of thing every time.
If you compare life expectancy in Chile and some other Latin-American countries with universal care[1], they are higher than in the US, despite being a more unequal and/or poorer.
[1] https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/life-expectancy?tab=chart...
Edit: Many commenters miss the point. The US leads the way in too many areas and at least I expect them to be an example of the benefits of free market economy. Some have mentioned that regulation is indeed the problem. I would say, that we need the right regulation so the right incentives are put in place, in benefit of the market and competition. So at best it would be better not to have the industry dictate the regulation.