Society
America's Crushing Medical Bills and Japan's Universal Insurance
An Asahi report that a single U.S. emergency-room visit can cost around 190,000 yen, and that medical bills drive people into personal bankruptcy, set off a Japan-versus-U.S. comparison. Many commenters praised Japan's universal insurance and its high-cost expense cap as a powerful safety net. Others pushed back, noting that Japan's system rests on heavy premiums, low fixed reimbursements and overworked medical staff. A few defended the U.S. model or argued that Japanese patients lean on hospitals too much.