My Story with some highlights: Since 1996 I have had 3 heart catheter treatments which were fully covered by my health insurance. Only expenses were 10€ per day for hospital stay (incl. meals!) 2007 I was diagnosed with severe despression. I was treated as an in-patient at psychosomatic clinic for 18 weeks. Following this I had 240 hours - over about 3.5 years - of psychoanalytic therapy at an external psychoanalysist. Over the time of about 7 years I had my daily supply of antidepressants. With the exeption of a hospital fee of 10€ per day - which is limited to a maximum of 280€ per calendar year - and some minor prescription fees everything was covered. As I found out from the psychoanalyst I would have had to pay 45€ per session, which would add up to 10.800 €, plus 3 digit medication costs per quarter. Since 2008 - at which I needed to retire due to my health problem - I pay around 130 € per month for health coverage - as a retiree. The 3 heart catheter treatments cost all-in-all about 51.000 € plus accomodation at the hospital. I have listed here some prominent examples, not mentioning my daily medication plus regular checks with different doctors over the years to date. For me it is not understandable why a system similar to Germany - which no question may have some flaws - could not work in the U.S., and Germany is definitely not the only country with a functioning Heath Care System.