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Hospitals have begun to reveal how much they charge for various procedures and it is shocking. For instance, in San Francisco, a Caesarean section could cost $6,000 or $60,000 for the exact same procedure. That is because the hospital charges different rates based on the patients’ insurance.
We are finding this out because the Trump administration created a rule that forces hospitals to publicly disclose the prices they charge for medical prosecutes. Hospitals sued to block this but a court rejected the suit.
Why should we care if insurers are billed more? We should care because this increases the cost of deductibles and premiums. It also makes it impossible for those without insurance to pay for procedures because all prices are perverted. This does not happen in other countries where healthcare is offered to everyone. In those countries, people who are not residents can pay out of pocket for procedures and they cost the actual amount, not a nonsensically bloated price. In Portugal for instance, getting care for breaking your arm costs less than $200. Try paying for a bone break in the U.S. out of pocket. This system is true insanity and it persists because the insurers have expensive lobbyists. It’s shameful.
