All of this sounds like just regular checks to prevent abuse of the system
"Humiliating"? Maybe, but that's their job. No I don't think it could be much different.
Of course it's not an utopia, but I've heard much worse from countries much less well off than the US.
I don't think any country does that much better than Norway tbh
However, the problem in an American context is that people would likely see this as invasive. They’d demand the free treatment without the privacy invasions needed to make it work.
To be clear, I think the tradeoff is absolutely worth it, but America’s track record in making reasonable tradeoffs is awful.
Stop miseducating them.
People has been educated to accept their TV spying and registering their home conversations all day as the new normal, but 'this' is too invasive?.
I don’t know why Americans react worse to certain things, but they clearly do, even in the face of lots of education.
I generally think that a lot of the more invasive checks are not justified, but if the price to pay to get agreement for more expansive welfare services is an invasive means testing process, then it's certainly better than not having the services.