Further, medical insurance makes it impossible to live cheaply in the US. I make do with very few possessions, humble housing, and little spending. Health insurance accounts for about half my expenses, more than the next three largest expenses (rent, food, car insurance) combined. I'm probably going to move into a van at some point in the next year, at which point health insurance will be around 2/3 of my expenses.

If health insurance is 2/3 of your expenses, that means that you can be retired for 1/3 as long. And that's health insurance if I never get sick--healthcare costs a lot more if you do get sick. Granted, I would eventually qualify for medicare at which point that expense would come down.