> Meanwhile down here in the US I was charged $150 after going to an urgent care clinic for strep throat. To be honest, I don't think it is unreasonable to pay

> Meanwhile down here in the US I was charged $150 after going to an urgent care clinic for strep throat. To be honest, I don't think it is unreasonable to pay $150 for a nurse's/doctor's time to examine you. I've gone to urgent care and the ER a few times, and they're always filled with people who are there for non-issues. If it was totally free, you'd have them filled with people with things that should really just be handled by a regular doctor's appointment. Hell, my local hospital had to make a public statement for people to stop going to the ER just to get COVID tests.