For someone with FIRST hand knowledge of Hospital Bills, Doctor Bills, Radiology, etc. The charges that I see on these bills are outrageous to begin with, but when they give the "Negotiated Price" to the insurance companies they are still outrageous but amazingly about 30% of the original total. Seen almost $3MM dollars in bills come thru my mail over the past 4 years and have looked at them and see Doctors that I never met or remember billing this and that, the hospital billing for every little wash cloth on top of the daily room charge, messed up. I don't know the answer but do know even with a pretty good medical insurance plan, we have still paid well over $5,000 out of pocket every year since 2003 and 2010 will not be any different for my sugery is in January just after the new year so the hospital will take the out of pocket deductible off the first surgery and stay. Looking at easily $40,000 to $50,000 out of pocket for us in the past 7 years total. To some people, $50,000 might as well be $5MM, not saying I am rich but am saying that we have spent every savings and other that I have to keep afloat with all my medical problems. Worked hard since I was 14 yrs old and spent evey nickle in savings and other due to medical bills. There has to be an equal median somewhere between the medical prices and insurance and the person that figures this one out is much smarter than me.