Why do I even have insurance? Should I stop cancel and just pay out of pocket? What’s the worst that could happen?

I have been considering this for some time. I have a local clinic that will allow me to pay out of pocket for visits, so I got to them for most ailments. In the event they refer me elsewhere, I ask to pay out of pocket, but many places say "If you have insurance, you have to go through them". The most recent incident that has me considering if I even want insurance is; I went to have an ultrasound for a suspected minor inguinal hernia. I walk through the door and they have a piece of paper that says that they are billing insurance ~$1600 for the procedure and that I will owe ~$700 for copay. I said that I would like to pay out of pocket. They said that if I had insurance I had to use it as they have a contract with the provider. I asked if I could get an out of pocket quote for the procedure. After some back and forth, they capitulated and gave it to me. THE PROCEDURE WAS GOING TO COST $150 OUT OF POCKET! This has been the case everywhere I have gone for every procedure I have looked into for the past 3 years! If this is the case, why do I have insurance? Is there an "for near death emergencies and cancer only" insurance I can get? I don't want to use it anymore. There is no federal fine for not having insurance anymore. 37M in Texas, 79363 making $60,000 self employed.

submitted by /u/robprobasco
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