Every time I use my health insurance in the USA I peel back another layer of this onion of a scam. I've started doing most of my health care abroad even though I'm insured just so I don't have to deal with this industry. I doubt posting prices online will do much because it seems like a quick fix to a systemic issue.
1. Go for a 3 minute, 30 second ENT appointment about earwax. Think I'm just paying a co-pay. Receive an extra bill for "Charges in excess of negotiated amount"
2. Go for appointment and be told: "If you just pay us now and bypass your insurance it will be cheaper than your copays." This happened twice without any prompting.
3. Be told by another office that my insurance doesn't cover a service and that it would be better if I paid out of pocket. Learn later that that service should have been covered 100%. Struggle for months to get insurance to pay instead all the while being told by the office "we can't guarantee you won't end up paying more in the end, even if it does say 100%"
