re: No wonder medical cost or so high...

I remember a few years back when my wife's employer switched everyone to an HDHP. The talking point they said over and over was a variation of "When all you pay is a small co-pay, you don't know what the actual cost is, so you have no incentive to control costs. When you know what the actual cost is, and are responsible for it or a portion of it, you are more likely to take actions to control costs".

The issue is, as you saw, that's not how healthcare works. With the exception of some basic tests and shots, it's very hard to get an actual cost of something ahead of time. Because the "rack rate" listed by the doctor is so much bullshite. In reality, medicare decides what they will pay, the insurance companies use the medicare amounts to negotiate with the doctors as to what they will pay, and that's what they pay.

I mean, imagine if when you got in an accident, you went to get your car fixed, and you asked them for an estimate, and they told you, well, the price you are charged depends on what auto insurance company you have, or, if you are a cash payer. It's insane.