About 3 years ago, I broke my leg skating. This resulted in an ambulance ride to the hospital, emergency surgery to install a metal nail and screws, and a week's stay in the hospital. How much did I end up paying for all this? Nothing, it was completely covered by insurance, I paid nothing out of pocket. Just imagine how much this would have cost in the US, even after insurance. Think about the deductibles, the copays, the time off work.