No idea how insurance affects prices. But here's another anecdotal evidence: When we were poor (minimum wage level), my wife was on Medicaid or Medicare; think we did not pay anything for it. I'd remember having to pay anything over $1,000 back then. Don't have the receipt to actually say how much hospital charged and how much Medicare payed for it. In that case we'd have 2 points to compare.
To be clear I (we) do have insurance so I'm not paying 80k out of my pocket. Just wanted to provide anecdotal evidence to the claim that hospital stay is outrageous.
And that was baby No.3 that part of my life is done :D
Perfect time for me to vent on the topic. My experience confirms your claim.
My wife and baby stayed 3 days at the hospital after the c-section. Charge for room and board item on the bill is $30,000 for her and $50,000 for the baby. In total $80,000 for 3 days.
And it was shared room. There was another woman with her baby with them. That single hospital room's rate is $53,000 a day.
No idea how insurance affects prices. But here's another anecdotal evidence: When we were poor (minimum wage level), my wife was on Medicaid or Medicare; think we did not pay anything for it. I'd remember having to pay anything over $1,000 back then. Don't have the receipt to actually say how much hospital charged and how much Medicare payed for it. In that case we'd have 2 points to compare.