re: What in the hell is wrong with medical billing?

I’m not saying I agree with every piece of it. I’m simply stating the nature of it all.

Pros and cons exist in each model.

If insurance payouts fully covered provider costs, the hospitals wouldn’t need to subsidize private groups. On the other side, it’s a well known piece of information that organizations that employ internally staff at higher patient:staff ratios to cut costs and maintain profitability.

The big hospitals that get away with all and remain profitable are typically religious-based and/or non-profit making them tax-exempt.

I think the individual also holds responsibility for understanding their health coverage and what physician they are seeing. There is a No Suprises Act for a reason. It’s not difficult information to find, if one looks for it.