It is not the hospitals. It’s the “providers.” The doctors/specialists are not hospital employees. The margin for a not for profit, non teaching hospital is about 2%. Read, religious or “community” hospital.
Of course you may share a room with a welfare recipient. But guess what...you are going to get similar treatment and the same medical care.
Most folks like going to the hospitals designed to look and feel like hotels. The meds are the same. The joint commission and CMS requirements are EXACTLY the same. You can already look up prices. Ask your insurance company. They will break it down for you.
The sticker shock is a reasonable reaction. But look at the details. That $156 charge for the two minute visit is not going to the nurse or the guy sweeping the floor. It’s going to YOUR doctor, based on what CMS establishes as a proper charge.
Your reaction is like getting angry at the gas station owner for the price of oil.
True - but having the “menu” posted helps the decision process - folks generally know the difference between a ‘high-class” mall and an outlet complex...seeing the difference in different sets of providers may make a difference.
And good luck finding a community or religious hospital left... they are dropping like flies. Only places where they are the only hospital are they tending to survive and usually by operating in the red.
“It’s the “providers.”:”
it is INDEED the hospitals ... you ever looked at what a cardiologist gets paid for a two hour session to open and stent closed coronary arteries vs. what the hospital charges for the cath lab, the disposables used in the cath lab, the stents themselves and the overnight stay in the ICU?
Doc who saved your life is lucky to get paid $600.00, hospital gets tens of thousands ...