ES - I know the difference between a deductible and a co-pay. Unfortunately, I have had to deal with medical insurance claims and issues, way too much in my lifetime! And when I say "cash-in-hand", I'm referring to the uninsured, whether it be by choice or circumstance.

My beef comes with the government - and what they "allow" providers to charge. That $71 dollars that is given to my doctor because he's "allowed" to charge me what he does, could well be giving folks like you mentioned, some kind of medical assistance. Instead it's paying for that big fancy suite of offices doc just built, with a beautiful, huge salt water aquarium on one whole wall, fancy furniture in reception and a monstrous flat panel t.v. screen on another wall that would rival the downtown cinema! Does that make him a better doctor than old doc who rents a small house in a residential part of town, and has been there for 30 or 40 years, with the worn furniture and cluttered atmosphere, and magazines on the table that seem like they have been there as long as he's been in practice??? I don't think so, and judging from the amount of cars always parked by his office, not many of his patients think so either.

So as long as Uncle Sam keeps lining the pockets of these providers, the system will never be fair or equitable, and there will be people like me who complain about it, but have to take what gets dished out, and other who are deserving of assistance, but just don't "qualify".