I believe you. My point is that original hospital charges are no where close to what is finally accepted and actually paid by medicare. Hospitals and doctors are still doing ok.
You’re right on both counts. They do negotiate on the charges. I know what Geisinger Gold paid, since I get a monthly item-by-item wrap-up of drugs, hospital, ER, Dr’s visits, etc etc etc.
I don’t know how to get ahold of Medicare numbers, but I suspect they do some serious negotiation, as well.
If I didn’t have both, I’d have been bankrupt midway thru that 23-day stay at York Hospital, and probably wouldn’t have made it to PSU-Hershey.