My husband and I stood outside the Zurich hospital like two lost dogs. All signs were in Swiss German, the clock read 18:00, and I was 18 weeks pregnant. Our brains were completely fried from a nine-hour flight and a seven-hour time difference.

A few hours prior, we had landed at Zurich Airport. My right leg had started to swell and ache halfway into our flight. My U.S. doctor insisted I have an ultrasound done of my leg to rule out any blood clots that may have formed.

So, there we stood. Foreigners in a foreign land.

Notfall

One of the entrances read “NOTFALL” in big red letters, which seemed like the most likely candidate for an emergency room.

Inside we were met by a friendly Swiss receptionist. The hospital was beautiful and clean and new. He asked if we had Swiss health insurance. Of course, we did not.

I braced for the worst as a freeloader of the Swiss health care system. No insurance. No citizenship. No other options. Could we even afford to be there?

The receptionist calmly explained the pricing process for a Swiss emergency room. There were different pricing tiers depending on the level of care or procedure needed. I would pay in full before seeing the doctor. The pricing transparency was refreshing, instead of receiving an outrageous bill in the mail months later like I am accustomed to in the States.

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For an ultrasound, I landed in the lower-middle tier at 350 CHF, or about $415. I was pleasantly surprised, as my American brain had prepared for a four-figure out-of-pocket emergency room total with another zero on the end.

We were escorted to the waiting room, where I prepared for a long, grueling wait, based on prior ER visits. A few years ago, Dan cut his arm on the hay mower. Our local waiting room was full, and we waited for five hours.

We were seen in 30 minutes. The doctor was a kind but stern Swiss woman with dark-framed glasses. She read my chart, felt my leg and was puzzled at my concern.

“I would bet my medical license that nothing is wrong,” she said.

Given my age and health, she felt blood clots were out of the question, but would perform an ultrasound if we wished. I insisted, given the instruction from my U.S. doctor.

We were taken to radiology, where the ultrasound found no blood clots. Soon we were on our way. The final diagnosis? My compression socks were too tight. Embarrassing.

Comparing health care systems

As we waited for our Uber, the Swiss doctor came out to chat. She was curious about our experience compared to U.S. health care.

“Swiss health care is some of the best in the world, but expensive as *&$@,” were her exact words.

I laughed, but only partially agreed. I received excellent care, paid $415, and was in and out in just over an hour.

The World Index of Healthcare Innovation rates Switzerland's health care the best in the world. The WIHI ranks the 32 countries with the highest gross domestic product on health care quality, choice, science and technology, and fiscal sustainability.

The U.S. ranks 11th overall on the WIHI, earning the world’s highest ranking in science and technology and the lowest ranking in fiscal sustainability.

WIHI concludes: “Thanks to its renowned research universities and robust biotechnology industry, the United States dominated the science and technology category (1st). … On the other hand, the United States ranks dead last in fiscal sustainability (32nd). Simply put, America leads the Index countries with the highest level of government health care spending per capita, and that spending, moreover, is growing at an unsustainable rate. … Contrary to its self-image, the United States scored only 10th on the dimension of choice. The cost of health insurance in the United States is beyond the reach of too many Americans, and the role for direct consumer spending is far too restricted.”

A new perspective

When we arrived back home, there was another medical bill waiting for us from my U.S. hospital. The amount due was $993, with health insurance, for basic OB care — a few appointments, routine labs, an ultrasound, no emergencies.

I know U.S. health care is a contentious issue, especially given the impending November election. And honestly, I don’t know where to even begin to fix it. But no matter what side of the aisle you’re on, you’ve likely been hit with an unexpected medical bill that makes you gasp and check your bank account. Plus, if you and your spouse are both self-employed like we are, health insurance is likely a big chunk of your monthly budget.

Sure, we receive excellent care from great doctors in the U.S. But when did we accept a health care system with out-of-control prices as the norm? When did we accept a system that, in some cases, forces one spouse to work off the farm strictly to provide their family with health insurance?

It’s pretty telling that the U.S. has the highest innovation score but the lowest financial score. Someone is benefiting from a health care system that bankrupts the public. And it isn’t the public.

What do you think of U.S. health care? Email [email protected].