Before we had those things, it wasn't so bad in Hospitals. Once the Greedy Pirate Bastage Insurance Execs got their grubby little hands on the Medical Industry, things changed for the worse. All of a sudden you have to fight for a hospital claim that they rejected, or else you'll be stuck with a huge bill you'll be paying off for the rest of your life. Also Medicine may not be covered or be covered at a huge price. I remember paying $89USD for AntiBiotics when I had the Flu, should have been a $15USD co-pay but the Greedy Pirate Bastage Insurance Execs decided that since the company that made the AntiBiotics didn't give them any kickbacks, that they wouldn't cover it any more. Of course they didn't tell the doctor this, or else she wouldn't have written it up for me. But I needed it badly, so I paid for it rather than wait a few days to get a new perscription.
Of course the insurance rates keep going up, a family of 3 can expect to pay $700USD to $1000USD a month to be covered. Soon it will be more. So much for affordable healthcare.