In India at least, the healthcare is not as super advanced but the public healthcare is free. Private hospitals have 2 modes. Either pay cash or cashless insura

In India at least, the healthcare is not as super advanced but the public healthcare is free. Private hospitals have 2 modes. Either pay cash or cashless insurance. If you have a heath insurance card, you just pick one and you are done. If you are paying by cash, you ask for a price. Then you price shop all hospitals. There are no "surprises" as hospitals expect customers to pay upfront the cost of procedure and or a deposit for room/incidentals. The good thing with this is, you say "hey hospital A, how much for a cataract surgery", same for all hospitals. The bad thing is, if you don't have the cash, you either have to borrow or sell off property which throws people into poverty faster. Recently government made a public insurance scheme where every family is covered for like 1200 procedures and is cashless. The good about it is, even poorest of poor can get private healthcare and hospitals get a steady revenue stream, albeit at a lower profit but in the long run they are expected to turn a profit. In India, health insurance and insurance in general is missold. Agents sell " return of premium" and "money back" instead of risk cover because they get a fatter commission. I have talked to dozens of agents and they dislike term life insurance like the plague. "Why would you do that, its stupid. Yuck. Ew". Same for medical, the result being only rich could afford good care till now.