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

OK, I see what you are saying, but no insurance company or federal reimbursement is going to be giving them 10,000 for that 10,000 bill. They may be lucky to get 1000. Why a hospital charges so much when they know the reimbursment is only going to be a fraction of the charges, I don't know, especially today when even the non-insured can negotiate their charges down. Then you look at the reimbursements for lab and x rays from the federal gov and that revenue doesn't nearly cover the costs.