re: Everyone should request an itemized hospital bill, it is really interesting

IMHO it matters whether or not the hospital is making an obscene profit or is just squeaking by. If they are making an obscene profit (very few do), then they are overcharging on these line items. If they are just squeaking by, then what is your solution? Close the hospitals? And yes you can say "be more efficient" to your non-tax paying hospitals who are just squeaking by, because they do waste a lot of money. But the "for profits", who have researched every way there is to be more efficient and are still just squeaking by, I don't see a solution. Bottom line is that every hospital has to make a profit to stay in business and the vast majority are not making much.

I had an argument with a "non-profit" hospital COO once. He was saying, "it only takes 15 cents to run a CBC". Told him every study I've seen and been involved with says it takes a minimum of $6.50 to run a CBC. He acted like the only cost was the reagent, he had no clue.