Here's an excerpt of an article from 'Time' magazine looking at medical costs, spefically why they are so high.

 

We may be shocked at the $60 billion price tag for cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy. We spent almost that much last week on health care. We spend more every year on artificial knees and hips than what Hollywood collects at the box office. We spend two or three times that much on durable medical devices like canes and wheelchairs, in part because a heavily lobbied Congress forces Medicare to pay 25% to 75% more for this equipment than it would cost at Walmart.

Thank God, I not had major medical issues to deal with in my life, but this article may cause one.  I find it especially sobering since so many of the hospitals are 'non-profit' or 'not for profit' institutions.