I got an MRI (way more complicated than an x-ray) done in Berlin in about a week, for no charge, on public health insurance.
But sure, defend an objectively insane system because it's what you're used to.
I'm weirded out by the number of people on HN defending the US medical system. As someone living in the US mayself, everyone is well aware how crazy the medical system is, but in this thread there's a large number of people trying to justify 69k for an "expert" pushing a button to zap you with rays.
It's a system that needs some changes, but also, the bill wasn't for an x-ray and nobody paid $69k.
The first thing wrong with the system is that number. 69k. Even if nobody paid 69k. Who made up that BS number and for what insidious purpose?
It’s the actual price of the service plus the amount that insurance has haggled away.
I don't know where did you get such information, but it takes a few days of wait at most in Canada to get an X-ray.
In quebec it can take months, maybe weeks if it's a simple radiography.