That's an interesting question. I'm not sure anybody is paying that full price. I checked the hospital my wife works at, and they give anybody paying cash a 75 percent discount(!) and have a lot of other options for people with no money.

From their website:

^XXX Hospital is committed to providing financial assistance or financial need discounts to patients who are uninsured, underinsured, ineligible for government programs, and are otherwise unable to pay for their medical services. XXX Hospital strives to ensure that the financial capacity of our patients does not prevent them from seeking or receiving medical care at XXX Hospital.^

^Patients seeking help are required to complete an application, and they must provide a denial letter from the MediCal program and proof of income to confirm they do not exceed the federal poverty level guidelines. A customer service representative will help determine eligibility for government and community programs that may help cover medical expenses.^

^XXX Hospital also extends a 75 percent cash discount to patients without insurance who choose to pay with cash, or to patients receiving services not covered by insurance who choose to pay with cash, or patients who choose to pay cash for services in lieu of billing their insurance.^

I'm not sure what the deal is. Maybe it's like the sticker price on a car, something that allows them to wiggle down to the price they can really use. I know several people in the medical field, but nobody who works the financial end.