It still is, but the government has taken over the role of the Church. If the Church had insisted on holding onto that role, the churches would be filled on Sunday and people would be more active in the church. In many ways, the church community acted as the health care insurer for its active members. When people in the church got sick, they'd take up collections or they would use funds set aside from the general fund. People don't need the church anymore. People now look to government rather than God.
We had another child in the church come down with cancer. We’re not a large church. we’re a typical country church. We raised thousands to help them defray costs incidental due to being 1.5 hours from hospital, down time from work, etc.
Our family experience is that intense cancer coverage is about a million bucks.
I’ve long believed that the existence of a big pot of insurance money drives up costs. Providers see that pot and charge based on its size and not on their actual expense.
Get rid of insurance altogether and I’m fairly certain costs will plummet.