If I bought a round trip US->India->US ticket (I didn't, I stayed in India), that would have been about $1000 at most. Hotel + food another $1000. Surgery $2000

If I bought a round trip US->India->US ticket (I didn't, I stayed in India), that would have been about $1000 at most. Hotel + food another $1000. Surgery $2000. Lets round up to $5k. $5k is not a lot of money even for lower middle class USians. (Lower class USians have medicaid.) It's true that many Americans live up to the limit of (or beyond) their means. Even if someone earning $25k cuts his consumption down to $20k, he'll still be living a vastly better life than almost everyone in India. It's true that being born in the US, and being able to trade 20% of your income one year for the ability to walk again, is a massive privilege.