Not sure why you think that, hospitals charge insurers a lot less than their sticker price. Pricing is usually done as multiples of what Medicare pays, so insu

Not sure why you think that, hospitals charge insurers a lot less than their sticker price. Pricing is usually done as multiples of what Medicare pays, so insurers will build their network and usually have a cap at 2x Medicare. If you are taken to an out-of-network hospital during an emergency, the hospital can charge their regular prices, although this usually gets negotiated down for extended in-patient stays. As an uninsured individual, however, you would be liable for the complete amount, which is a lot more than what the insurance pays.