[FL410]

As embarrassing as that sentence is, it is highly unlikely he left with a $95,000 bill, nor is it likely his insurance company actually paid anywhere near that for the vials. The prices that end up on healthcare bills may as well be in another currency, since they tend to be used as placeholders subject to all kinds of contractual math down the road.

None of which is to say that our healthcare system ISN'T a mess, it is.

[zmgsabst]

Also, ER services are obligated to save your life even if you can’t pay. (Government picks up the tab.)

The problems have more to do with long-term things, eg cancer or kidney disease.

[trailbits]

Yep, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/09/the-c... points out that 70% of the billed cost of antivenin is hospital markup. This isn't even part of expected profit... it's fully expected that this will be discounted for those that are insured. But you never really know what your insurer will pay and there are stories of people dying from refusing treatment, worried about their out of pocket cost.