I’m young and dumb. Why is health insurance necessary if it seems they won’t help pay anything?

So, I’m currently 20, living in Missouri, and I’m on my parents’ insurance. According to my mom, her insurance covers herself and my brother(17) and I, while my dad’s insurance covers himself(they are married but apparently the 4 of us on one plan is too expensive). My mom is complaining that insurance is $15,000 a year, but every time we have any sort of problem, they basically refuse to pay anything. For example, I went to the doctor’s about serious migraines, and they suggested getting an MRI, and made an appointment with a hospital. My dad and I got there, and the woman/receptionist-ish person that usually collects copays was saying that the fee was unusually high and that she was wondering if there was some sort of issue with our insurance or something, because the amount she was supposed to collect was upwards of $2,000. We left without the MRI, I called the financial office and left a voicemail and they never called back. Then, my mom contacted our insurance, and basically, they said they won’t pay anything until it costs at least some amount (more than the MRI) and after it costs that much -I think past $3,500 or something- it would be, like, “whatever they deem necessary”. If it’s any info at all, we have Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, but I don’t have more specifics than what she’s said basically. I also don’t know all their financial info, but I know they make less than 6 figures a year.

I really don’t understand that. Why is she paying them all this money if they won’t pay for anything? If she didn’t have to pay them $15,000 every year, she could easily afford the MRI and any other medical issues we have. We are for the most part healthy but obviously the odd thing happens every now and then. Can she just, like… not pay for the plan? Why isn’t that an option? I hear that some services might cost more if you’re uninsured, but given what I’m seeing here, I don’t understand.

submitted by /u/AllMyPlantsDie4
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