The US spends more on healthcare per person than any other OECD country. And yet we’ve reached the absurd point where flying to China for an MRI can actually be worth calculating. At some public hospitals in China, an MRI may cost roughly $55 to $100 per body part. At private international clinics in Shanghai, published self-pay prices can be around $500 to $570, depending on contrast. In the US, that same scan can easily run into the thousands depending on the facility, the body part, and whatever maze your insurance plan creates. So yes, in certain cases, you can add airfare, a hotel, and the scan itself and still have a serious conversation about whether China is financially competitive. That should stop people cold. Americans live in the highest-spending healthcare system in the developed world, yet still often don’t know the real price until after insurance processes the claim. And affordability keeps deteriorating. Gallup reported in 2026 that fewer than half of Americans were healthcare cost secure. You don’t need to exaggerate. When international medical travel becomes a spreadsheet decision for a basic diagnostic scan, the system is already screaming.