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I can't comprehend why the author of the article couldn't come up with this glaringly obvious reason. In every other aspect of my life, the price tag is attached to the item. If I want the item, and the listed price is good, I can either buy it then, or keep shopping. With U.S. medical care, I can go to my general physician ($30 copay) and complain about a specific symptom. She can then refer me to a specialist ($50 copay), or send me to the lab for a test ($???), or prescribe a medication ($???) and schedule a follow-up (future $30 copay). After my pockets have been emptied, I literally have no idea about the size of the bill I will be expecting in the mail, because my insurance rejected the claim or my deductible hadn't been met, or whatever bogus flimflam. It is easier to shop around for 20 mixer-truck-loads of concrete than for one blood test. It is easier to shop for, finance, and buy a new car than a new hip joint. It is easier to plan a 30-destination worldwide vacation than it is to plot your own cancer treatment. And as someone else already mentioned, all this pricing data is already computerized. We are not allowed access to it, because it people were able to shop around on the basis of price, they would do it, and prices would immediately fall to actual cost plus reasonable operating margin. |