And what is the Massachusetts program, but a massive state subsidy of four private health insurance/managed care companies? Who's paying for that?

(And what would be wrong with it if my tax dollars did go to help people who really need it, rather than helping insurance and drug company executives buy new yachts as they do now?)

Really, uncompensated ER care is the most innocuous of the bunch, because there's a complete disconnect between the funding and the usage. The hospital gets construction/development money from the feds, and everyone benefits from the existence of the hospital. In exchange they're obligated to treat all emergent needs.

In your example, State and federal dollars probably paid less for your son's girlfriend than they did for your son. Almost certainly so. And that's before you take into account the fact that his services would've been billed at a deep discount, whereas she will be taken to collection for the face value of whatever the hospital wants to charge.