Have you ever been asked if you want to use your private health insurance in a public hospital? Depending on who you talk to, you may get different advice about the benefits and risks of using it. That’s because it is a hotly contested area with big money at stake. Last year, insurers paid public hospitals more than $1 billion for members care in public hospitals. That is money private hospitals missed out on and that insurers paid for their members instead of state and federal governments picking up the tab. Here is what you should know about being a “private patient” in a public hospital..