In the US, we don't have free healthcare at all. We all carry health insurance if available through work, and if its not, many many Americans go without it. To see the doctor for even a sore throat is expensive... with my insurance plan, just to walk through the door and put my name in with the receptionist, I pay $20. Some insurances ask for more or less money as a "co-pay" If you don't have insurance, the fee might be $75 or more, depending on the doctor and the area you live in.

To have insurance, a person will pay a monthly fee - as much as $500 per person a month. Many companies offer it to their employees and pay all or part of that monthly fee. Its up to each employer to decided what type of insurance coverage they'll offer, how much they'll pay and how much you pay, as well as how much "copay" you'll have at the doctor. Once upon a time I had such phenomenol coverage that all doctors, even specialists were $5 and all prescriptions, even those fancy name brand were $5. Then the company got sold and we went from that to $25 copays and $20 prescriptions

Did any of that make sense? I'm trying to type a really convoluted system in two paragraphs!

Donna, that is a wonderful thing for women. Thanks for the reminder to schedule my own appointment.