"Eschew flamebait. Don't introduce flamewar topics unless you have something genuinely new to say. Avoid unrelated controversies and generic tangents."
We've had to warn you about this kind of thing before, especially the nationalistic aspect. Please don't post flamebait and especially please don't take HN threads into entirely off-topic, entirely generic classic flamewar topics. That path leads to the hell we're trying to avoid here.
Because we _let_ people choose cheap plans, and don't use federal taxation to shift the costs to the wealthy. And we tie health insurance to employment, so all those fringe benefits you were unaware of suddenly cost real money when you start your own biz.
If OP had been required to carry a stronger insurance policy, their runway would have been even shorter. And if the tax regime gifted Americans universal health care, it would likely mean OP would have a smaller savings, if any at all.
Perhaps it's a testament to how healthy the jobs market is in SV that 'I'll just get a job' as a fall back plan if you run out of cash is plausible.
Your mental gymnastics are impressive, if not a little scary.
Having lived decades in both Canada and Australia, I can tell you there is a much better way, that works extremely well. Imagine nobody ever worrying about medical bills, ever again.
You will not have to worry about medical bills, no. But it will be harder to build the nest egg you'd need to bootstrap a company, since the tax brackets only go up from there. Wealth formation might explain why Canada has fewer tech startups and entrepreneurs than California, despite the decreased insurance risks associated with national health care.
