The inflated costs have very little to do with ER and uninsured patients. It is mostly about getting more money from insurance reimbursements. ER operations are

The inflated costs have very little to do with ER and uninsured patients. It is mostly about getting more money from insurance reimbursements. ER operations are subsidized by taxpayers in most of the US, and the ER is only a small part of the overall system. The reimbursement rates are loosely based on the inflated billing costs, with many insurance companies demanding a minimum discount of 50% being common.