> The fact that the insurance company can negotiate the bill to $500 indicates what the real price is.
That really depends on your definition of "real price", particularly considering how in a lot of developed countries that'd still be considered a pretty outrageous price to pay for such a situation, particularly while even having insurance.
I am using price in the economic sense of price, where the supply and demand curve meet. Such as the price of a good when you go to a market and haggle with various vendors.
It does not depend on who pays for it.
I did not intend to comment on who should or should not be liable for paying this price, simply that $500 seems like a reasonable price for an ambulance service.
That really depends on your definition of "real price", particularly considering how in a lot of developed countries that'd still be considered a pretty outrageous price to pay for such a situation, particularly while even having insurance.