I have told my story over and over so anyone truly interested can look in my history as I won't write it all again, but I lost my life due to America's system and have sunk further as an ironic consequence of only having access to it. Every time these topics come up I see people defending it or making claims that are simply false.
ACA was a horrible compromise because the right would not allow proper Universal Healthcare. In my state, as in many, there is a gap where you can be denied a subsidized ACA plan and Medicaid. I fall in that gap and get nothing but the privilege of buying a full priced ACA, poor coverage, plan for something like 7-800usd a month plus something like 6000usd yearly deductible plus the multi thousand coverage floor you mentioned. All of which is impossible for me. I did things right. I had a significant savings when this happened, spent most all of it on this stuff, I have a few hundred a month pension I was lucky to have, it doesn't cover my needs, I have no insurance or benefits. I was denied disability. This is America.
Someone else below also brought out the "I know lots of people from Europe who come to the USA for superior healthcare" line as well. I lived in Europe and never met or heard of a single person who did this. It surely happens. But its not "lots" nor proof of some superiority.
I recently got another diagnosis after having to really fight and spend a lot because the system is so broken. The 3-5min you get and insane costs for everything hinders care. I was already on the edge as my history points to...and have been trying desperately to move back to Europe where its not perfect, but even in the paid, private system I would have access to for the first years I can get far superior care to here for less. But the hits just keep coming and I don't see making it anywhere now. I wish people would care about others and how this system hurts them, rather than their politics. I will lose my life because of politics I never chose to be born into and that have continually reduced my quality of life. I just cannot understand why people continually deny this is the case and fight against that which helps all of us. I have mostly passed anger and am in intense disappointment on the issue. I just want to live. I am not allowed to.
