> What I want from NYT is an article which really examines the situation, and not just sensationalizing numbers. ... > For example, Medicare would have paid o

> What I want from NYT is an article which really examines the situation, and not just sensationalizing numbers. ... > For example, Medicare would have paid only 1% for the assistant's work... It sounds like private insurers are hugely subsidizing Medicare by paying 100x the price. I don't think they're sensationalizing the numbers. Private insurers are not paying 100x Medicare. They pay negotiated rates to in-network professionals, which is typically 20-100x lower than the list price. But doctors and companies are being creative, and using out-of-network services as a cover-up, so the private insurances can't enforce their negotiated rates. In some cases it's better to just settle with doctors, to avoid lawsuits and problems with patients' employers. But this rewards the bad behavior. With layers and more layers of companies, hospitals, consultants and lawyers, all trying to maximize their revenue targets, it's not a surprise that we're seeing six-digit bills for an assistant surgeon. The system is completely broken. Until we have a complete reform, and more strict laws like New York's Surprise Bill Law [1], I'm afraid we'll see more cases like this. The only solution is to (try to) stay healthy. If you can. [1] http://www.nyacp.org/files/public/169463_Health_Alert_3JUNE2014.pdf http://www.nyacp.org/files/public/169463_Health_Alert_3JUNE2...