[lotsofpulp]

There never will be a free market due to inability to negotiate prices and obtain quotes.

A person who had a stroke is not going to be evaluating offers from various surgeons. Nor are 99% of people going to know what healthcare they need or don’t need.

That is the service a managed care organization provided (aka insurance company).

[tynpeddler]

Spending for emergency health care is between 2%-7% of total US health care spending depending on who you ask. It's an important consideration of course, but the vast majority of health care can exist in a market to one extent or another.