Quite wrong, actually. Medicare/medicaid usually pays lower than private insurers because of the vast bargaining power. Hospitals that can will try to limit or

Quite wrong, actually. Medicare/medicaid usually pays lower than private insurers because of the vast bargaining power. Hospitals that can will try to limit or avoid taking these patients or ensure a balance with private and self pay for this reason. There are also weird rules where sometimes Medicare is legally required to get the best rate of anyone. Healthcare industry is completely insane and to an earlier comment not a free market