When I arrive at the hospital via ambulance, and just enough to stabilize me so they can boot me back out the door, then send me a bill for 900,000 dollars for it.
That $900,000 dollars is just what they bill you if you have insurance. If you pay cash directly to the hospital you can negotiate the amount down to $740,000.
You can actually negotiate it down way further. The hospital may actually write it off depending on your financial situation.
Not defending the system btw. I think it's asenine that my fellow citizens have to jump through these hoops. Tax funded healthcare (or at the very least tax payer funded insurance) is the way to go.