Thanks for the info Cliff, as always. I do not "get" our healthcare system. But healthcare professionals in other countries do not make the money they do here, so there is little motivation to change it from the insurance companies on down. Yes, many people do go into healthcare because they are caring people but many are there because of other reasons. And the people often making decisions are not healthcare people but desk jockeys with perimeters they have been given by other desk jockeys. That's why some of the decisions are difficult to understand. Example- I was told by a math professor that I needed algebra so I could understand how the insurance companies make decisions about, say ,a broken arm. They can calculate how fast it will heal by mathematical calculations based on average healing time for that bone. I brought to his attention the problem is that underlying health conditions, diet, age, immune system function, etc. , etc. make that a wrong estimation. He just looked at me. It made me understand the minds behind decisions. Oh, and they are trained to look for certain phrases, etc. when you apply for SSI and such. Also not medical people. Big disconnect there.

Thanks Cliff3,
For this informative information regarding: For Profit US Health Care System.

Cliff I can tell you they're saying Italy isn't far behind us now, their obesity rate has sky rocketed the past 10 years or so. The reason? the middle aged and younger aged groups are eating ultra processed fast foods that put the US to shame. So much for the Mediterranean Diet I guess.