Health

It's what the insurance company allows.

For example, in #1 if the hospital charges $282, it's likely the amount allowed by the insurance company is $50. That means the hospital has to write-off $232 immediately. Odds are, the clinic is also allowed $50 and has to write-off $45 right off the bat. Sometimes, insurers allow more for tests performed in a hospital than those provided in a doctor's office, but there will still be a big write-off.

If the clinic/hospital is sophisticated, they can tell you right away how much you will personally owe as co-insurance.

Point is, if you have insurance, what a clinic or hospital charges doesn't mean a lot. It's definitely a stupid system, run by stupid people.

Where you really get screwed is if you don't have insurance. In that case, the clinic will try to collect $95 and the hospital $282. Of course, it is unlikely most people can pay that, so they'll usually negotiate.