Healthcare isn't a tomato

That's the title of an editorial this week in the Los Angeles Times. It argues that the push for health savings accounts might make sense "if healthcare were really like tomatoes or Toyotas." Princeton health economist Uwe Reinhardt is quoted: "It's difficult to imagine how any informed patient can effectively shop around for cost-effective care because of the now widespread price discrimination practiced by the providers of healthcare....with the highest prices charged individual self-pay patients who have no market clout."