[rediguanayum]

Agreed while this is excessive, many hospitals do this to cover the uninsured who don't pay their bills. Hospitals have to care for such patients due to EMTALA. Consequently many non-academic hospitals are under huge financial stress (https://www.kqed.org/science/1981588/half-of-california-hosp...) and go after anyone that can pay to the point of bankrupting them. The US medical system is simply dysfunctional.

[JohnFen]

> The US medical system is simply dysfunctional.

That's an epic understatement. I'm of the opinion that the root cause is the insurance companies.

[1letterunixname]

That's an overly simplistic hot take. You have to look at the interests involved.

Sure, in some other countries, for-profit health insurance is illegal.

There are many more for-profit hospitals in the US than there were 40 years ago. Many not-for-profits sold out to for-profit companies. I believe John Oliver or VICE did a piece on this years ago.

Then there are the doctors. Only in the US is being a doctor insanely lucrative. Not all US doctors are out to financially abuse patients, but there are enough who are complicit in the hospital and outpatient practice system who enable mass exploitation.

Single-payer wouldn't end this. Medicare for all wouldn't even be close to fixing the problem. Most of Medicare is administered by for-profit health insurance companies. Medicare pays, but doesn't cover 100%. It still requires paying for one of a laundry list of letters Medicare supplemental and prescription plans. Also, the US doesn't have a functional mental healthcare system. And that's not covered either. Dental and vision also aren't covered.

[JohnFen]

> Only in the US is being a doctor insanely lucrative.

And only for some doctors. Most aren't making crazy money at all.

> Single-payer wouldn't end this.

I never said it would. But this is a thing that most other modern nations have figured out (imperfectly, sure, but orders of magnitude better than we have in the US). It's insane that the US can't seem to resolve this situation, especially considering that it kills people.

But then, we here in the US don't seem to prioritize actually helping people. The US is the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the history of the planet. That we allow anyone to go without a roof over their head, food in their belly, and adequate medical care is criminal.