Switzerland has the system closest to the US in my experience, but with universal coverage.
As individual, you buy basic insurance costing roughly $500/month with a $2500 yearly deductible (LAMal/KVG). Applicants must be accepted even with pre-existing conditions. Post-deductible, you pay 10% co-insurance capped at roughly $800/year (no medical bankruptcy). Insurers operate basic plans as non-profit. They make their profit on optional supplemental insurance (private hospital rooms, extra benefits...) The state subsidizes basic premiums for low-income individuals. A doctor's visit is a $150 minimum, similar to the US.
What was most surprising compared to here in the US is employers pay $0 toward premiums. Funding is entirely decoupled from employment. You don't lose coverage or change plans when changing jobs.
On the negative, basic insurance does not have dental, so dental stuff is out-of-pocket and expensive.
In terms of stats, the US spends 18% of GDP on healthcare vs. 12% for Switzerland and the gain is lower stress too. Not perfect but maybe the best of both worlds.
I think they do asses for pre-conditions, if say you enter the country via immigration.
So basically as long as someone is alive in Switzerland they need to pay an insurance company $500/mo?
Thats too much trouble. In India, there is a new scheme of "ayushman bharat" 500K inr which is quite a lot of money, per family. No co-pay, you show the card in supported hospitals or government hospitals and you are in.
There are "problems" but overall it has had a net benefit with poor people who could not afford medical treatment just get it. If you are having an emergency, they just do whatever is needed and you are golden. I know hundreds of people in my neighbourhood who have had surgeries done on "card" and most could not otherwise afford it.
Where are you getting the 150 to visit a Dr. in the US? The copay is usually much, much lower than that.
>A doctor's visit is a $150 minimum, similar to the US.
It's $20 to go to the doctor on similar priced insurance in the US.
Your $500/month is just a tax for healthcare. Your only advantage over the US is that it's not tied to employment. Ours is both a tax and a cudgel to force people to work.
We have the worst of all worlds because ours is a tax and a cudgel, but then we also have to pay tax to the state to fund the healthcare for others who can't or won't work. I wouldn't call yours the best of both worlds. It sounds like you're getting fleeced to a lesser extent, but still not great.
Monthly payment depends on Kanton as well - in the German part you can still get basic insurance for 250 USD/month.