> The ‘waste’ also counts towards GDP, as long as the money keeps moving.

Honestly, that explains a lot. Vastly different perspective from what I'm used to, but useful insight into the US.

Yup. It can be pretty brutal living it too. But most places are, frankly, in their own ways.

Still way easier than India, for example, where the answer is often either the same or ‘try to scam your way around the problem’ if you can’t.

That's an argument for U.S. healthcare insurance industry being a good thing. Uhh.. no?

It certainly pads a lot of people’s wallets! Like anything, it’s about what trade offs, when, by whom, etc.