Want To Bankrupt Hospitals? Force Them To Charge Fair Prices

Prior to 2006, California hospitals could charge any amount they wanted to when uninsured patients received care in their facilities. As a result, many hospitals slapped patients with ginormous bills, two or even three times what they would charge to insured patients. Hospitals didn’t collect full price for most of those patients. But the high prices forced patients to either scramble for funds, negotiate a lower price (but one probably still higher than average), declare personal bankruptcy, or default on the payment and live out their days with an awful credit rating.