John A. Parker - You have ZERO understanding of how market-based economics work. The price of any good or service is driven by the price the customer is willing to pay. If customers refuse to buy gasoline at $4 an gallon, the supply chain is forced to adjust its prices downward if they hope to sell gasoline. When new competition entered the market and increased the supply, it drove the cost of oil down, which drove the price at the pump down.

In medicine, doctors, pharmacies, labs, hospitals, etc., charge what "the market will bear", which is currently the insurance company reimbursement schedule, plus 20% for the copayment. Take the insurance companies out of the middle and medical providers are forced to negotiate price with the consumer, who can choose between competing providers or,forego some medical treatment, which drives the costs downward. "What the market will bear" changes dramatically and thus changes the prices.