Many hospitals run on thin margins. Emergent care makes up a only fraction of hospital income. Hospitals have put all elective and preventative care on hold waiting for this virus to show up. May be weeks to months of this.They have bought tons of extra supplies (ventilators, etc). They are strained financially even before the coronavirus breakout occurs.

And if the virus comes to that hospital in hoards they then have to pay significant overtime to all staff to handle it. Many docs don't have enough time or energy to chart enough to get paid for all the services rendered. Payments will be limited and far less than the costs ensured thanks to bundled payments. Because of volume many payments will be very delayed. This may even bankrupt many private health insurance companies. Thank goodness most admitted will be on Medicare (which doesnt usually pay enough to even cover hospital costs, but at least won't go bankrupt before paying).

This virus will likely put our healthcare system into a crisis. And this may ultimately be what pushes our healthcare system to socialized medicine. It will be easier to just move to a single payer system than to pay to bail everyone out.

Hopefully we elect politicians who keep our system from being socialized in 2020.

Just a thought.