Even if you could flip a switch and go to a free market, that doesn't reset where the current players are, so they will use that going in to insulate themselves

Even if you could flip a switch and go to a free market, that doesn't reset where the current players are, so they will use that going in to insulate themselves and abuse the market. For pricing, Hospitals/Insurance Co.'s are unwilling to absorb the cost of the statistical chances that something goes wrong or extra labor/things are needed during healthcare. That's why the patient-facing price could be anything and you get an itemized bill. The only way to get slow-moving and predictable patient-facing prices is to get the hospitals/insurance to absorb these costs.