Hi @Rosi700. As an American who lives in Europe, I can say that Czechs ask the same question you did about the US insurance situation and lack of (or inadequate) safety nets. My contribution to this is to offer the following answers: false propaganda (not unlike the former communist type, which is a paradox, for sure) with its lack of accurate knowledge/education, acceptance of the status quo, the thought that it's too hard to change now (Hilary Clinton called it akin to "wishing for a pony" to progressive Bernie Sanders), and on the other end of political spectrum it's politicians in the pockets of the private insurance and pharmaceutical industries. As for the mentioned status quo, there are also many Americans whose notion that "America is the greatest country in the world" is so extreme that no improvement in this realm is necessary. This is to a fault. When there are such changes (even good ones, in my view), some see them as bad, so want it back to what it once was. Also, as Aurelius710 mentioned, some potential improvements are sabotaged on the state level. So if some in such states see no real advantage, they see it as bad. They assume "big government is spending their tax money on something "frivolous" or for people other than them (aka them feeling reverse discrimination). I could list slogans used in these cases, but that will be too blatantly political sounding.

When it comes to disability, yes, there is that in the US, but it is hard to obtain, pays many very little, and scary to get off of. Scary because though there is a flawed transition option (called "Ticket to work"), once one passes the transition period, you can have a nasty hard time getting back on, if sick again. The very latter is not the case in Czech Republic. I see the Czech one as more of an incentive to get back to work. Also, many people in the US label those on disability as "leeches on society". Pretty mean! Whoops! I mentioned a slogan, and one form of stigma.

Anyway, I am MUCH happier with the Czech insurance system. Sadly, saying this to many Americans would inspire ridiculous wrath to the point of them saying "Good riddance!" to me. Believe me when I say that if many protections I have in Czech Republic were implemented in the US, I'd likely move back home.

One last issue:

The US currently has a two political party system. Only two choices to pick between. Though there are other parties, and even should be more, a third (or other) political party candidate doesn't stand a chance in **** of getting elected in the US. The system is set up to maintain that, unlike in most Europen countries. When a third party is voted for in a US presidential election, the candidate and their voters are deeply criticized. It's rather undemocratic, in a way. There's also the flawed electoral college system and geremandering, and more. Perhaps systems unfamiliar to many in Europe. Also, all US states get the same amount of senate representation, regardless of population and/or taxes paid by residents. This can ultimately give the minority party more power than the majority one, squashing more progressive proposals and implementing less popular ones.

If this post gets moved/removed, I can send it to you by PM, but I think this topic is significant for those with mental health issues.