Who profits from illness?

The other day I was travelling with an Indian guy settled in US.He is a retired person aged about 60 years.He has been in US for last 35 years. He had come to India for attending a marriage of one his nephews.After the customary lamentations about the 'dismal' situation in India our chat turned to the subject of health care in USA.
He said recently he had to do an emergency surgery for Piles in USA and it cost him about 20000 US dollars. I first thought I heard him wrongly.In India for 20000$ a person can replace both his knees and do a coronary bypass surgery.I asked him again and he said Yes the bill was for twenty thousand dollars.He also added that his Insurance Company payed only 6000$.He is paying the rest from his pocket in instalments.
Then I said the doctors in US must be having handsome earnings as the patients have to pay so much. He said only a few docs have good savings. He revealed that his son is a Doctor and is still paying off his debts incurred while studying even though he passed out 5 years ago.
So who profits from the illness among common people? May be Insurance companies,Drug Companies,Corporate Hospitals etc. Is there any way out so that quality health care is easily affordable to all?