95% of the time if ask a doctor the cost of a procedure they have more idea what the cash price is, not to mention whatever my copay will be calculated to be based on my insurance and its agreements with the service providers.
That's not what parent said. Sure, they arguably "know how pricing works". Their staff (or at least, their data systems) know about each patient's insurance. And hopefully, what physician services it covers. But I doubt that physicians themselves know that stuff. It's not what they focus on.
In my experience, staff generally know how to code referrals for lab work and specialists so patients' insurance will cover it. But sometimes they screw up. So for example, I've been prescribed a testosterone supplement. But insurance won't cover testing for blood testosterone, level unless they use the right diagnostic code. Also for prostate-specific antigen checking. They have to code "enlarged prostate" in order to have it covered. There's another code for routine testing, but it isn't enough.
They know in generalities how it works, but I doubt that most doctors in a hospital setting can tell you how much a particular procedure will cost you.
Even my dentist in a private practice often doesn't know "Well, we'll bill this to the insurance company, but they might not cover it all so we'll have to bill you"
They know how it works but not the exact price of an aspirin. They can't exactly tell you to go to the pharmacy out of your hospital bed to get a $2 bottle vs a $50 pill from them.
Is it not reasonable for them to ask, if they don't know?
Also should they not have a general ballpark idea? I'm British and would expect Drs to be aware of costs before advising treatment (ruling out cheaper to rule out things etc).
No, because it will be different for every patient (for the same treatment) and will fluctuate widely from year to year. Also there is a general ethical sense of recommending the best treatment and dealing with cost as an afterthought.
Car insurance prices vary widely from year to year, and person to person. I still expect a somewhat accurate price when I give some minimal information.
Agree with the ethics, but if someone presents with a broken leg do you xray it (cheap) or mri (expensive)? For anything vaguely complicated the Dr is basically just eliminating likely culprits. Its preferable for everyone (that doesn't have a profit motive) if they try the cheap/quick ones first.
If you have a solid isurance provider and an insurer(e.g. google) they work with you to find out the most reasonable treatment and ballpark estimation of the costs. So there is that.
