Bob Greene 's friend found the hospital bill from his birth in 1947 . It was $ 70 , $ 726 in 2012 dollars . He says the price of a hospital birth in 2008 was $ 11,000 . Why is it so expensive now ? Comment: Greene : At Grant , where Gary Bender was born , Dr. Michael Sprague , medical director of women 's health , told me that `` infection , blood clots , hemorrhage -- our ability to diagnose and treat all of these '' is considerably better today . Some say not all costly procedures necessary , but outcomes are better now .
Bob Greene 's friend found the hospital bill from his birth in 1947 . It was $ 70 , $ 726 in 2012 dollars . He says the price of a hospital birth in 2008 was $ 11,000 . Why is it so expensive now ? Comment: Greene : Some say not all costly procedures necessary , but outcomes are better now .