In 2011, the average amount charged by hospitals was 3.77 times higher than the actual Medicare reimbursement

In 2011, the average amount charged by hospitals was 3.77 times higher than the actual Medicare reimbursement, across all hospitals and all diagnosis-related groups.
Source: "What Types Of Hospitals Have High Charge-To-Reimbursement Ratios?" Health Affairs Blog, July 15, 2013, http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2013/07/15/what-types-of-hospitals-have-high-charge-to-reimbursement-ratios/