If it works as advertised I don't think people would blink an eye at paying 5 figures for it.
>> [snip]And most of the Western world has healthcare where this would be covered for all citizens.
Well, let's be honest with ourselves here- if it's covered for all citizens, they probably wouldn't bat an eye at it whether it costs five figures or one.
> most people, if you believe those surveys that say most Americans would borrow money to pay for an unexpected $400 expense
This is idiotic. I would technically “borrow money” as well because I would likely put it on my credit card since that is by far the most convenient way to pay for things (and gives you the most protection as a consumer). I would just pay it off at the end of the month though.
Scroll to the bar chart. To pay for an unexpected $1k expense, 41% would pay from savings, 13% would reduce their spending on other things. I think we can agree that 41+13=54 which is "most" would thus pay without any form of borrowing. What's left that's not unknown: 16% would pay with a credit card, 14% would borrow from friends/family, and 7% would get a loan. The article adds all three sources up to hit 37% and create a headline: "Nearly 4 in 10 Americans would borrow".