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"Bargaining power with the hospital" might be the most dystopian thing I've ever heard in my life.
Oh hospital billing is absolutely fucked up. Usually the bill you receive isn't itemized and simply requesting an itemized bill can be enough to knock some amoint off of the bill because even the hospitals billing staff are often not entirely certain exactly how they got that number they're now billing you for.
But yeah, anyone who does receive a large hospital bill, engage in some negotiations, ask for an itemized bill, state you will be paying the lower amount that is billed to insurance, advise that you're in a tough financial spot and ask what discounts or community care programs are available, and once all of that is done ask if you can settle for a lower amount by paying as a lump sum. My youngest's birth resulted in an $8k bill and ultimately the entire bill went away after a community care application (there were also some other unpaid bills that got forgiven because this hospital is horrible about actually sending bills, only ever sending statements that clearly say "this is not a bill" on them) so definitely use that bill as a starting point for negotiations!
Yeah, uh... We don't do any of that. Last time I was in a hospital my main concern was driving back to a different province with a bandage on my hand.
The only time I've ever paid anything for a hospital stay, other than prescription meds, is when I had to cover $40 for an ambulance call-out. And I billed that to my work because it was a workplace injury.
Look, I'm not trying to twist the knife here, I just really wish every American understood how completely insane their system is. It doesn't have to work like that. The words "negotiate with the hospital" do not ever have to be a part of your life.