Everyone loves a good deal. We're trained to seek out good value and celebrate a job well done when we pay less for something than we think it is worth.

That's why the overwhelming majority of Americans have positive feelings towards the benefits that our health plans cover for "free." Similarly, health plans that include features like modest co-pays for medical care are generally viewed as "great benefits."

While on the surface, we all tend to feel good about receiving free or inexpensive healthcare at the time of service, we're often shielded from the actual costs of care. Unfortunately, the actual costs are often wildly different than the amounts patients pay the receptionist at checkout. But since the actual costs are hidden and removed from the decision-making process, all of us are getting fleeced.

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