This is the heart of the problem. Some of us believe the government involvement causes prices to increase, which is why life insurance rates have drastically reduced over the past number of years. People are shopping rates on-line and buying the cheapest one. With government forcing the costs, companies feel free to charge what they know they can get away with charging. There is also a cost for having services available on demand and not waiting for some government type program that allows you to get them. Americans would go nuts facing the waiting times you have in the UK for medical procedures.