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A comment on Bringing transparency to ER prices, one hospital bill at a time. Parent comment

Re:Bringing transparency to ER prices, one hospital bill at ... by maxxxxx on Tuesday October 23, 2018 @11:23PM (#18289459)
"And, frankly, part of it is because hospitals can’t refuse care to anyone and if they can’t pay, someone else has to. "

I think that's a cheap excuse they have to rip off everybody else. I would like to see the actual numbers of people who aren't paying and what losses they incur.

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Re:Bringing transparency to ER prices, one hospital bill at ... by maxerickson on Wednesday October 24, 2018 @06:50AM (#18291240)
It's substantial but doesn't come anywhere near explaining prices. The PDF here has some numbers:

https://www.aha.org/data-insights/2018-01-03-uncompensated-h...

Somewhere in the ballpark of $40 billion dollars a year vs total revenues in the ballpark of $3 trillion. Various aspects of Obamacare had the effect of leveling them off.

There is likely additional underpayment due to Medicaid and Medicare (to the extent those programs are underfunded and operate by mandating care, they are a hidden tax).

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