Group health insurance - the kind of plan you used to have through an employer or other organization - used to come from insurance companies. The insurance company didn't work for the health care system. It did not contract with the health care system. The insurance company audited medical bills, and negotiated with hospitals on behalf of the insured individual, as it had a stake in cost containment. Audits spotted double charges, overcharges, fraudulent charges, etc.
Group insurance plans used to be affordable, and covered almost everything that wasn't considered "experimental" in nature. You could afford a plan with a $100 deductible and 10% to 20% copayment. You could see your family doctor down the street, or see a specialist at Mayo Clinic, and your policy covered it. The insurance company had no interest in any health care facility or physician group or laboratory. They all got the same treatment.
Your policy was a contract between you and the insurance company. It was not designed to pay providers, but to indemnify you in case of a loss. You were the customer. You were the one they had a contractual interest in.
That was then. This is now.
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