You are correct, this is U.S. No idea how insurance affects prices. But here's another anecdotal evidence: When we were poor (minimum wage level), my wife was

You are correct, this is U.S. No idea how insurance affects prices. But here's another anecdotal evidence: When we were poor (minimum wage level), my wife was on Medicaid or Medicare; think we did not pay anything for it. I'd remember having to pay anything over $1,000 back then. Don't have the receipt to actually say how much hospital charged and how much Medicare payed for it. In that case we'd have 2 points to compare.