I think FMLA is generally misunderstood. All FMLA does is guarantee that your/a job will be held for you if you are out on sick leave for up to 12 weeks; you can't lose your job because you are out sick for an extended period. There is no financial compensation associated with FMLA, just the guarantee that your boss cannot fire you because you cannot work for up to 12 weeks; they have to have a job for you when you return to work within that 12 week timeframe, and it doesn't even have to be your position, just A position. The "family" part of FMLA is also valuable, as your job is protected if you are the care-giver of someone with a medical issue. It means if your husband has to go for chemo regularly, your boss has to allow you to transport and care for them in the following days, if needed. I believe a care-giver clause is valid for a year, meaning you can have up to 12 weeks of sporadic time off to care for someone- take them to appointments or whatever, in addition to if they need 24/7 care. Once again, no financial support (people I know take it as unpaid time off or hourly sick leave) but you can't be fired for your own, or family, medical situations.
Medical tourism is a HUGE deal in the USA. I had bariatric surgery 6 years ago, and as I have amazing, affordable health insurance, I was able to have the surgery here, at home, for a reasonable cost. However, most insurances don't cover bariatric surgery, so people travel all over the world to have it done as it's far more affordable to have done in another country than in the USA if you are paying out of pocket. Actually, depending on your medical insurance, it's cheaper to have many surgeries done out of the USA, including airfare and hotel costs, than it is to have done on your insurance, if you have a high deductible. I guess I could ask... if medical care is so stellar in the USA, why are people traveling to other countries to have procedures done?