It's a revenue optimization problem -- the goal is to collect the most revenue overall. Set prices too high and people/insurance goes elsewhere, too low and you leave money on the table the org could use to cross-subsidize non-payers.
you have to be careful with that statement since it can be a clever way of talking about what insurance agrees to pay with the chain versus the "retail" rate the doctors charge.
my father is a general practitioner and I was always amazed when he started saying about 25 years ago that he wouldn't let me become a GP if I had gone into medicine. and this article covers all of his concerns well.
malpractice is a big part of the issue and it varies state to state. for example, in pennsylvania malpractice insurance is amazingly expensive. and people sue all the time, which is sad unless it is gross incompetence, since every doctor I've met is trying their best.
I don't know how to solve this, or whether it's fair, but it's pretty universal if you talk to people in healthcare billing.