Oh please.
Competition has worked great in medical procedures that patients actually pay for the treatment. That insurance doesn’t cover. Even as technology gets better.
Lazik, cosmetic surgery, etc.
You nailed it. Add MRIs to your list. 3k at the hospital, 1.2k at the ortho office, 600 at the standalone office down the road (and popping up all over the place).
Which is why high-deductible, catastrophic insurance is probably the answer, with secondary insurance for those wanting a lower deductible. Encouraging shopping around since the first 5k or whatever is out of your pocket would solve most of this through market competition.