I've said this before, but it bears repeating again.
I had a knee joint replaced and when I was rehabbing I spoke with the surgeon's PA about the PA's charges being rejected by my insurance carrier.
He said to me that he would get paid (probably directly from the surgeon's practice), but went on to explain the charges on the invoice I showed him.
Essentially, "no one" with insurance pays the full bust-out-retail charges that the health care providers charge. They ALWAYS want to know if your situation is because of 1. An accident or 2. Is it a Worker's Compensation case.
THOSE cases get the fully charged amounts - because either the lawyers or the law says they can and do get the full amount. THAT's where they really make money.
Any insurance cases usually handle the submitted charges and "negotiate" a discount. It goes something like this:
You see your doc and he puts a splint on your broken finger.
Your insurance company sends you a bill that states, "Your Dr. charges $298.00 for his services. We negotiated their fee down to $65.00 of which we paid $54.00. You owe the doctor $11.00 and you will be billed by them for that amount.
Same with hospitals, and other health care givers. People who don't have HC insurance don't have the intermediating (evil) insurance company to get the lower negotiated rates.