Honestly blue Cross blue shield is just like Facebook ..users are the product not the customer.
I ended up with the last laugh, though--eventually the insurance rejected it as billed too late, denied, drop it. Instead of collecting the negotiated rate they got $0.
The number on the bill before the insurance discount is entirely imaginary, no one pays it.
There is always a built in cash discount for people without insurance.
For example, for a while I was having trouble getting insurance cards (stupid reasons) at a new position so I was paying out of pocket for prescriptions and office visits.
They were less expensive paying cash than with insurance pre-deductible.
Until they don't pay it. Then that entirely imaginary number becomes a very real debt that gets sold and reported.
I was all set to settle my bill actually, but the woman in billing (at the doctor's office) urged me to not give up and file another appeal. Apparently even she agrees that this is bullshit.
The whole experience has been surreal.
The dumb thing is, the bill won't hit my deductible cap for the year! (The procedure was done in 2018.) So, in any case, I will pay the full bill and the insurance company will pay nothing. But if the insurance company processes the bill, then I get the "discount".
This is mind-bogglingly stupid.