In February 2023, the World Economic Forum released statistics showing that "healthcare spending is significantly higher in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world." According to a survey by Gallup in December 2022, nearly 40 percent of American adults have experienced difficulties in paying healthcare bills and accessing affordable and quality medical services, and most of them consider medical expenses a source of daily stress.

Dean, a 27-year-old music and video producer, suffers from multiple health problems, including asthma. With healthcare expenses well over 10,000 U.S. dollars a year, he just hopes he never gets to the point where he has to go to the hospital.