Healthcare System

Got the bill for a recent hospital trip. All is pretty well. No complaints with the treatment or charges. However, the bill raises one significant question;

How much does the healthcare we receive really cost?

My bill arrived and the total charges were $15,279. The "contractual adjustment" was $11,719. Now, either the battery of tests, observation, care and diagnosis costs fifteen grand or it doesn't. I could understand if there's a slight adjustment in the charges because my insurance company may be a fast payer. But this is a 77% "adjustment."

Some might say; "well you're welcome to pay the full amount if you want to complain about it." That isn't my point. My point is that if the true cost for the services was in the neighborhood of $13,000 - $15,000, how are the doctors, nurses and the hospital itself expected to operate for very long if the insurance companies strong-arm the providers into submission? And if this is how current insurance companies operate, will it get even worse when the Federal Government takes over even more of the paying responsibility?

I was in the hospital overnight and I got great care and treatment. I don't have a clue as to what it cost to provide the services I was afforded. One of my fears is that most of the American population has the same ignorance of the cost of medical care. In my case, either the prices are grossly inflated because the providers know they'll receive less or the prices are much higher than the provider is receiving for their services. If the latter is the case, how long can we expect such good care/treatment with pathetically low payments to the providers?

If you are knowledgeable of the healthcare costs/payment systems, please chime in.