Ari Ramsey, a bronze medalist in rugby at the 2024 Summer Olympics, is proudly sharing how she’s been able to access comprehensive healthcare during her time in Europe – a luxury she knows would be out of reach back home in the United States.

Ramsey and other olympic contestants have taken to social media to document their experience living in Olympic Village, where athletes participating in the games are housed. From food reviews to creating makeshift curtains to anti-sex cardboard beds and using Tinder in the Olympic Village, Olympians are spilling all the details of their experience in Paris, including the free healthcare they can access.

Since the Olympics, Ramsey’s gotten a pap smear, dental check up, eye exam and new glasses.

“Ok y’all, not only in the Village do we have free food, but we have free dental, free healthcare. I literally just got a Pap smear for free, and I have a dentist appointment, and an eye exam next week,” Ramsey said in a Tik Tok video posted August 3. “Like, what?”

The rugby player’s enthusiasm over receiving routine medical services at no personal expense stands in stark contrast to the healthcare realities faced by most Americans, including many of her fellow elite athletes.

The average cost of a pap smear in the U.S. can range from $121 to $247 without insurance, according to Verywell Health. Even those with health insurance often struggle with high deductibles and copays that make accessing vital screenings like this prohibitively expensive.

Many countries offer universal health coverage to all or some of its citizens, greatly reducing medical costs. France operates under a national health insurance system , with mandatory enrollment that covers most prescription drugs, hospital visits, and long term care costs, according to the Commonwealth Fund. Norway, Sweden, and Australia, all offer variants of universal healthcare to their citizens, and have the lowest rates of breast cancer related deaths, according to a 2018 report.

Concerns over healthcare costs are top of mind for Americans, especially as inflation and rising costs of living continue to add to the financial burden individuals and families face. A May 2024 poll by Pew Research Center found that healthcare was the third highest priority issue for voters in the upcoming election.

About half of American adults report struggling to afford healthcare costs, with about 1 in 4 saying they’ve skipped receiving the healthcare they need because of the cost. For uninsured, the harsh reality of affording care is even harder. According to healthcare policy non-profit KFF, 61% of uninsured adults did not receive healthcare they needed because they couldn’t afford it.

“We see individuals and families making decisions that no one should have to make, from, ‘Should I go on vacation or do I pay for health care and medication,’ or at the worst, ‘How do I ration my food to afford my prescriptions?’” Tim Lash, president of West Health, a nonprofit group focused on promoting affordable medical care, told CBS in July. “As the wealthiest and most developed country, that’s not where we should be.

Athletes are faced with increased risk of injury, making health insurance an important topic in the industry. Major league athletes like NFL players, typically have insurance, but for minor leaguers and college athletes this isn’t always the case. Some college injuries can have long term effects, with players footing the cost long after they lose coverage from their college league’s insurance. This year, the NCAA extended their athlete’s coverage to two years after their date of graduation, leaving or transferring, but still only covering costs related to an injury endured while playing for their school.

Rapper Flavor Flava’s sponsorship of the U.S. women’s water polo team recently shed light on the reality many Olympians face, working several jobs to afford to pay their sport, pay for training and afford living costs.

“Some may not know this, but most Olympians need a 2nd (or 3rd) job to support chasing the dream (myself included!) and most teams rely on sponsors for travel, accommodations, nutritional support, rent/lodging, and simply affording to live in this day and age. Especially female sports and female athletes,” team captain Maggie Steffens wrote in a May 4 Instagram post that garnered Flav’s support.

In the United States, healthcare is not free like it is for Ramsey at the Olympics. The country’s privatized insurance system creates significant barriers to access. Steep copays and deductibles make routine care unaffordable for many. Insurance plans can be out of reach for people who are not employed or fall into coverage gaps. And navigating insurance claims and appeals is often a frustrating, complex process. These systemic obstacles tend to be even more challenging for marginalized populations, including BIPOC and LGBTQ individuals and those with disabilities, further exacerbating health disparities.

Ramsey’s boasts about her free care overseas also serve as a poignant reminder of the massive disparities between the American system and those of other developed nations. While the US spends more per capita on healthcare than any other country, it ranks poorly in key metrics like life expectancy and infant mortality.

According to the Commonwealth Fund, the U.S. pays twice as much per person on health than peer countries with excess spending going towards higher administrative costs, higher cost of prescription drugs and higher earnings of registered nurses and physicians in the U.S.

Experts attribute these gaps to the profit-driven, complex nature of the American model, which leaves millions one major illness or injury away from financial ruin. A 2019 study found that medical bills are a leading cause of bankruptcy, with an estimated 530,000 families filing annually due to healthcare costs.

“Unless you’re Jeff Bezos, people don’t have very good alternatives, because the insurance that is available and affordable to people, or that most people’s employers provide them, is not adequate protection if you’re sick,” Dr. David U. Himmelstein, a distinguished professor at Hunter College and founder of advocacy group Physicians for a National Health Program, told CNBC in 2019.

As Ramsey’s story gains traction and Trump and Harris’ track record on health care come into play as voters cast their votes in November, it is hoped the next president will galvanize public support for healthcare reform, pushing for a fundamental re-evaluation of how the United States delivers medical care.

“People tend to think about health care as separate from the economy,” Drew Altman, president and CEO of KFF told NBC in June. “But when you talk to voters, it’s not separate at all in their heads. Health care is a dimension of their pocketbook economic concerns.”