Judy, I'm not really sure what you are saying - are you indicating that perhaps the problem isn't just insurance, per se, but the actual costs of the things we're having done, medically?

If so... while I don't have the answers, that has crossed my mind. I know that locally, an office visit is $80. That seems like a lot for a 15 - 20 minute appointment.

But then when I think about how many workers are involved in that visit who need paid, I come up with:
1) The person who answered the phone and scheduled my appt.
2) The person who checked me in
3) The nurse who weighed me, checked my pb, and took my temp
4) The chart-puller
5) The Dr.
6) The insurance filer
7) The cleaning service that is paid to clean the building at the end of the day

None of that takes into account the overhead of the building, the utilities, the insurance for the facilities, the insurance for the physicians, the x-ray machines and the MRI machines and the surgery rooms and the magazine subscriptions and the shot nurses and... dang, there are a lot of expenses associated with my 15-minute appointment and maintaining a facility capable of fixing whatever ails me.

I don't know what medical practices could do without or if they are padded in unnecessary ways. I do know that physician friends and relatives indicate that the government rate for reimbursements don't come close to covering their expenses. If EVERYBODY starts having their medical costs reimbursed at those rates, the rural hospitals I've always used will have to shut their doors. They're already struggling to make ends meet.