There needs to be a concerted effort to regulate the healthcare industry in our country. Healthcare is not in any way, shape, or form, a market. It is in constant, inelastic demand, and it is irrational to expect that a consumer would "shop around". Despite this, our national dialogue continues to refer to it this way, remaining ignorant of the prices in favor of who should pay and availability of insurance.
The brilliant Time magazine article "Bitter Pill", written by Stephen Brill, has thwarted that ignorance with a careful examination of pricing offered by several hospitals. He reveals that the pricing is totally disconnected from reality. We cannot allow this robber-baron mentality to continue. We must protect the right to reasonable prices, regardless of insurance coverage.