The problem is that in many cases, there is no way for a patient to meaningfully review options, negotiate, or even consent prior to receiving treatment. For no

The problem is that in many cases, there is no way for a patient to meaningfully review options, negotiate, or even consent prior to receiving treatment. For non-elective procedures, at best it's an "under duress" sort of deal. This is why healthcare should be provided for free at the point of service, paid for by the government. It works very, very well for many other countries. The only reason we haven't been able to make it work here is the rampant lobbying.