New research suggests health insurers could take some negotiating tips from people who pay for health care out of pocket.
According to an analysis from HealthCareInsider, hospital costs for patients with insurance are higher than for those who self-pay.
That flies in the face of conventional wisdom. Insurers are in the business of managing healthcare costs — especially those associated with serious medical events like heart attacks. With their sizable patient pools, we might expect them to have enough negotiating leverage to bargain for lower prices than a patient fending for himself.
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