Thank you for writing this! Well done!

I've also had the privilege of using the Spanish health care system. My out of pocket is always affordable. Where I have found the biggest advantage for me as a snow bird who lives in Spain during the winter is with dentistry.

I have a dentist and a doctor in Spain. My doctor is for emergencies should I get sick while there. I have on more than one occasion paid a visit to the clinic down the street from our apartment.

My dentis,t Dr. Herrera, is excellent. He does great work and has saved me thousands of dollars. Although I do have a dentist stateside, I usually wait until I get to Spain to do something expensive if at all possible.

From what I understand, lots of Northern Europeans have dental work done in Spain for the same reason. Spain has become a country where medical tourism is quite common. Not all universal health care system in Europe provide dental.

I knew that Spain has a much longer lifespan than America. I thought before the pandemic it was the highest in the world. I don't know where it rates now but clearly the Spaniards are doing something right.

For me, the #1 problem in the US that needs immediate attention is our health care system Sadly, getting sick is the #1 cause of personal bankruptcy.

Americans have no idea that the many countries abroad that have some kind of universal health care have individualized these services according to their own preferences. To expatriate and not understand the difference between the systems country to country is risky.

Here in the US, if you live close to the Mexican border. lots of Americans cross the border for dental work and medical attention. That says a lot, doesn't it?