Query: “cost of ER visit”

Google: “$1,233”

Query: “cost of broken leg”

Google: “… typically costs up to $2,500 or more …”

And as my military training had conditioned me to do, I investigated the worst-case scenario.

Query: “cost of ankle surgery”

Google: “… between $9,719 and $17,634 …”

But one final search changed my prospects that day—and my perspective on the health-care debate in the United States.

Query: “cost of VA hospital visit”

I was taken aback: The results suggested I’d pay little to nothing. For me—an honorably discharged veteran of the war in Afghanistan with no disabilities—the total out-of-pocket cost for multiple X-rays, visits to orthopedic specialists, medications, and a knee scooter was just $8 through the Veterans Health Administration medical system.

. . . During my Army service, I did my job, lived my life, and didn’t think twice about premiums, deductibles, or annual limits. Treatment was seamless, automatic, and focused on helping me perform my duties as a soldier.

. . . The rationale behind this type of care is clear: The Army understands that healthy soldiers are more effective soldiers. A national health-care system that treats all citizens this way may offer similar benefits. Chief among them is what I discovered earlier this year with the help of a Google search, when I realized I could get care when I needed it: a better quality of life.