> What's the point of giving them a local monopoly if they are going to abuse it? Exactly. We need to be rid of it. > Your "basic econ 101" quip doesn't go v

> What's the point of giving them a local monopoly if they are going to abuse it? Exactly. We need to be rid of it. > Your "basic econ 101" quip doesn't go very far to explain why it is that the governmental organizations which regulate these hospitals aren't, you know, regulating them to prevent such "basic econ 101" problems. My quip was directed at gas prices exclusively. I don't have an explanation as to why the government does what is does. It seems to me it does everything in its power to make things worse. That's why I'd like to see less government in this industry. > Even when there is more than source of care and when there is plenty of time and the person is interesting in comparison shopping, in practice that is still difficult to do in the US. This is true for some cases and false for others. In the cases its true, I believe its at least partially due to the fact that these hospitals have huge amounts of market power. Whether thats monopolistic or oligopolistic market power I leave to your judgement. But it undoubtedly plays a part. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_statements/896453/1512fall15-ohlhausenc.pdf https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_statements... In the cases its false: wellness, vision, dental, ENT. Practices are very upfront about their costs. Even though these might entail shooting lasers into a person's eyes or putting a person under general anesthesia. Why is it that I can call any dental office in America and immediately get a quote on a procedure but I can't call one of the two hospitals in my area and get a single price on anything at all? I ask that genuinely. Why the difference? There are areas of the healthcare industry where its trivial and areas where its impossible to know.