A woman came to the emergency room for a minor cut. She needed a bandage and a quick exam. The bill? $3,000. Emergency rooms use a system called cost shifting. It means they spread their actual operating costs unevenly across patients. Some pay a little; others pay an outrageous amount — often for the simplest treatments. This bandage wasn’t special or expensive. But to cover the cost of running the ER 24/7, hospitals charge way more than the item’s value. These inflated charges ensure hospitals stay profitable, but they come at the expense of patients who end up paying for others’ care. Most patients never get a clear explanation for these fees and are shocked when the bill arrives. This system punishes the sickest and the most vulnerable, turning a small injury into a financial disaster. #Health #MedicalBill