“These prices are bargains as compared to what hospitals charge in the US.”
That’s the truth of the matter. Like you stated about Japan, catastrophic insurance makes the most sense, with almost everything else being paid for out of pocket. Prices here seem to run about 80-90% higher than many other countries.
Cost shifting.
Folks who have gone to India for some of these low cost surgeries find out real quick that sanitation standards and medical expertise come at a cost.
Low price does not mean good care