This is a big part of what's wrong with health care in the U.S. Expecting a guy--a self employed guy with insurance--to pay $20,000 up front for a surgery that costs around $3,000. Hospitals are greedy. Insurance companies are greedy, evil and dishonest. imo.
This just ticks me off. It makes me want to corner our health care system in a dark alley and break a bottle over it's head. And stab it in the neck.