It’s hard to have sympathy for the hospitals in this case. I have nothing against them, but when you have an entire business model built on a system where a third party pays almost all of your customers’ bills you really don’t have a viable business model.
“a viable business model.”
If all of the services provided to all of the patients were reimbursed, it would be viable. I can’t think of another industry in the US that is mandated to provide goods and services to all without any regard for covering costs. Imagine an auto dealership mandated by government to provide anyone who comes into the showroom a car. Not a used car, the highest priced, newest model available, without regard to how the dealer is paid or not paid as the case may be.