The biggest issue facing America

This would be less of a problem if physicians weren't part of a guild that artificially reduces supply.

The major problem is that we are in the hands of a criminal syndicate that is structured around extracting money from people when they are at their most weak, vulnerable and uncertain. That this criminal syndicate, which spans the health insurance, legal and financial industries and for which health care is merely the bordello on which the operations cash flow depends; is regarded as a legitimate business is merely one symptom of how corrupt our society really is.

There is an entire industry devoted to extorting money from people under the threat of illness and death. And yet those who run it are considered fine upstanding members of society; always good for a donation to a good cause.

If you go looking it's not too hard to find instances of people who paid in to health insurance for decades, only to be stripped of their coverage when they became ill.

Tying it to jobs makes it even worse, if you know you need medical coverage, you basically can't leave your job; even if it's to start a company that would produce much more value for society than the job left behind.

As it stands now, on average Americans spend twice as much and get worse health outcomes compared to the citizens of any other industrialized nation. It is a disgrace and a crime, and we need to start labeling it a crime and treating it as such.

I have a weird plan where I pay a percentage of the total cost, but have to pay for everything first and then get reimbursed; but ultimately a more expensive operation ends up costing me more, so it always makes sense to shop around.

As a result, I know all the cash costs for an upcoming outpatient surgery I am having, and whether they offer cash discounts.

The difference between various hospitals and service centers is HUGE, like 5 to 8 times from one place to another.

Imaging center "A" : CT scan $232 ; Chest Xray: $33; EKG: $21

Hospitals "A" and "B" : CT scan >$1000; Xray $185; EKG: > $100

You end up renting the operating room (the surgeon has privileges at 4 different locations):

(new, shiny, modern) Surgery Center "A": $1200 with cash discount

Hospital "A" : no exact price, "range is $7K to $11K, typical is $9500"

Hospital "B" : no exact price, "range is about $7500, cash discount = $5000"

HOW can it even be reasonable that there is such a discrepancy in pricing? For one hospital, the CT scan "interpretation charge" was more than the $232 I spent on the entire scan + interpretation at the imaging place I went to.

(And yes, I used the exact same billing code in discussions with all the medical billing people I talked to.)