Thread by @RobertMaguire_

Two years ago, I had an emergency appendectomy.

I had insurance (I had GOOD insurance)

And even though I went to an in-network hospital, the *on-call* surgeon was out of network, and I got a $14k bill.

My story is not unique, and I'm amazed that it doesn't come up in debates

When I received the bill, my first thought was anger and frustration at the fact that I might have to pay it.

Then, I realized that--while it would be a huge hit to my wife and I--we *could* pay it.

But there are families across the country who, through no fault of their own, were getting the same bills, and they couldn't afford it.

It is enraging to know that people in other comparable counties don't deal with this financial stress. It is completely unnecessary.

And don't dare tell me that I could negotiate down the bill. I did. It took hours of conversations with the hospital, the doctor's office, and my insurer over TWO YEARS.

I ultimately paid less, but it was FAR MORE THAN ANYONE IN ANY OTHER COMPARABLE COUNTRY WOULD PAY.

I have received medical care, including minor surgeries, while living in both France and Taiwan, and I never once paid more than $50 or so.

The fact that other countries have figured this out, imperfect as their systems may be, should make every American FURIOUS

America has the dumbest, most unnecessarily expensive health care system in the industrialized world, and the worst part about it is that our political debates rarely address the fact that the problems we face are unique to our system.