And trust me — you don’t even want to get me started on insurance. Insurance companies also negotiate lower prices with health care providers, as well, for the services they cover, and so it’s the folks who don’t have insurance coverage who REALLY get it it stuck to them — ‘though those who have a really high deductible aren’t too much better off than the uninsured.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_prices

“Insurance companies, as payors, negotiate health care pricing with providers on behalf of the insured. Hospitals, doctors, and other medical providers have traditionally disclosed their fee schedules only to insurance companies and other institutional payors, and not to individual patients. Uninsured individuals are expected to pay directly for services, but since they lack access to pricing information, price-based competition may be reduced. The introduction of high-deductible insurance has increased demand for pricing information among consumers.”

There are, of course, lengthier, more detailed sources regarding insurance pricing, but this was short and succinct, which is why I selected it.

Whether or not your ski trip comes to pass, at least you have some fond memories with your favorite band!