[manfredo]

Insurance companies are very different types of customers than uninsured patients. They're effectively averaging their price over a large number of patients. Most are probably slightly more expensive than necessary, but that difference helps subsidize those that experience complications. Furthermore, individual patients fail to pay at a much higher rate so that is reflected in the cost as well. A hospital can't just give the "insurance price" to uninsured patients as this may put them underwater.

[maxxxxx]

First step is to publish the numbers so we can see if they make sense.