You’re right! SS is a lot like IRAs and 401Ks where you get hit with big taxes if you have an emergency and need to withdraw. Medicare is thought of by some as an entitlement rather than a self-funded program. I think there are many people who don’t realize how much the Medicare premiums are, either. A problem I have had is finding a direct pay doctor who has opted out of Medicare. They are scarce, and mostly near big cities.