>The problem I have with the "blame the consumer" trope is that there's the implicit "and if consumers had full pricing knowledge, The Market(tm) would correct all of the other issues, and healthcare in the US would be fixed." I assert this mostly through anecdotal evidence based on where these conversations tend to go.

If the consumer had full pricing knowledge beforehand then the market would certainly correct some of the other issues, probably not all but certainly some. Take a look at dental for example.

>I also find it to be some of the most disingenuous handwaving I've seen in recent memory. No one is going to comparison-shop when they have a ruptured appendix. Worse, if they think they can just "tough out" the abdominal pain because they can't afford the doctor visit _or the treatment that might result from it_, they'll just die.

Getting ripped of because you couldn't afford the time to shop around is par for the course in many industries. Yes, some peoples' appendices will rupture without warning but many more people will have conditions that give ample warning and allow comparison shopping. I think this there is a very good comparison to automotive repair in these scenarios (albeit higher dollar amounts and consumers being more willing to have work done up front to avoid more later).

> a system way off the rails.

I agree.