"The whole system is set up to shift the cost burden to the individual, and most critically, those with no insurance. Example: CT scan billed at $4,000. Medicare pays 80% of the costs they say are typical for the area (a total fraud), let's say $500. So that means Medicare pays $400. You, as a Medicare patient, pay the 20% of the WHOLE amount of $4,000, so you will pay $800, twice what Medicare pays. If you are unfortunate enough to have no insurance, you will pay the entire $4,000, unless you can negotiate a +/-10% cash discount. The uninsured get raped, the insured get cheated and everyone is happy because no one understands how this works. The whole Medicare pays 80%/your copay is 20% is a scam. With Medicare, you will still be paying twice what Medicare pays. The net result is that this is devastating the health care provider industry. Hospitals, clinics and doctors are eating these capped rates big time. As a former industry professional, I can tell you they are struggling to survive, they are not getting big profits. Many are closing. The insurance companies are getting big profits, though, because they use the same system. Our medical system is broken! People need to understand this or nothing will ever change. (We also need honest politicians who don't take bribes and kickbacks to vote on these issues...only solution: publicly funded elections that level the playing field.)"
