"Health care" in this country has almost nothing do with health care ... and it has everything to do with insurance. Almost every problem anyone has ever identified with "health care" in the U.S. is directly tied to a third-party payment system that completely distorts the economics of health care.
I had a conversation last week with a business owner who runs an auto body shop, and he had the exact same complaints about getting paid for his work that you often hear from doctors ... because he's dealing almost entirely with insurance companies, not real customers.
+1
I use a medicated shampoo from time to time. The last time I got it, I paid $7.50 or so.
Just went to refill yesterday. The clerk typed in a number off by one digit, so the "insurance" was rejected (how absurd for "insurance" to pay for shampoo, anyway, eh?).
The tab? $331.00. I kid you not.
Of course, the error was corrected, the insurance company paid whatever (presumably not $300+), and I paid the $7.50.
Whatever cannot continue, won't.