If you were seen in the ED, that's not what you are paying for. You're also paying for: 1. The ridiculous upcharge on medical supplies...and the product liability necessary to provide them. 2. The expertise to know how and when to use those materials properly. 3. The malpractice insurance necessary to cover the people using those supplies, and the hospital employing those people. 4. Part of the cost of caring for those who don't have insurance....or don't have enough insurance and therefore either walk away from their bills.....or fail to pay them off in their entirety. Which is why I just smh and laugh when people insist that they don't want to pay for someone else's health care. Because the fact is that they already are. The only issue is what are they getting for their money.