It's compounded by the fact that you often don't have any real flexibility in how you fix the problem. To extend your analogy, let's say I want to fix a broken

It's compounded by the fact that you often don't have any real flexibility in how you fix the problem. To extend your analogy, let's say I want to fix a broken headlight. I know how to do this, and can get better headlights than the one that would be offered through the two mechanics in my neighborhood. I can do this myself more cheaply. Or maybe my friend who used to work as an airline mechanic wants to do it as a favor. Or who knows. With medical care, you might realistically only have one option due to problems with insurance coverage, so even if you were given the price, you'd have no choice. But even if you had two choices, you don't have a third option because it's legislated away. If I need my medication that I've been taking for four years without any problems, and it's a low risk med anyway, why should I have to go to see a PA, NP, or MD to get a prescription for it? It's not just that the costs are opaque and hidden, it's that you are legally mandated in certain respects to accept them. The alternative is generally only to not have the service done.