>I don't understand why the insurance company is the one to decide when and how to cap the costs.
Because the insurance company is basically the only entity who has skin in the game.
>Sure premiums will go up, but the conversation should then shift to why does a 15 min ambulance ride cost $5,000 instead of fighting about whether or not an insurance company is going to cover it.
And the response if this is all covered would be "who cares? my insurance is covering it anyways". The patient doesn't have any incentive to choose a cheaper hospital, because he won't see any of the savings.
Because the insurance company is basically the only entity who has skin in the game.
>Sure premiums will go up, but the conversation should then shift to why does a 15 min ambulance ride cost $5,000 instead of fighting about whether or not an insurance company is going to cover it.
And the response if this is all covered would be "who cares? my insurance is covering it anyways". The patient doesn't have any incentive to choose a cheaper hospital, because he won't see any of the savings.