But, I think the main question I was trying to get at is -- how much are the French (or Japanese from a different thread) hospitals subsidized by the government. I expect for there to be indirect costs that might have to be covered by direct billing in one country, but not another. For example, electricity bills (or the cost of the building, etc)... is this covered by the 1000€ bill, or is is paid for by some other means? I recognize that US hospitals also get some level of subsidy, but there are hidden costs that aren't always apparent.
This is what I was trying to get at... that direct comparisons of costs aren't always that straightforward when comparing different systems. A 2000€ or $2000 bill might represent only a fraction of the actual cost of treatment. And given the opaque nature of heathcare billing, it's very hard to know.
