Health care is TOTALLY different!
Auto Industry: If prices are right, and you need a car, you can choose to buy one or not. You can stick with bus or bicycle if you prefer to hang on to your money. Competition is extensive.
Electronics: Even if you have a computer, you might choose to upgrade because the new ones are faster or have more capacity. You can also choose to use the computer at the local library instead of buying and constantly upgrading. Competition is extensive.
Washing Machines: New ones use less water and less power. You might upgrade to take advantage of this, or you can choose to keep your old, dependable, machine. Some people still wash their own clothes, and in many areas there are local laundromats or women who will do your wash for you. There is lots of competition over price and capacity.
Clothing: Now, you can't choose not to wear clothing in most areas. And, to hold down a job, you need appropriate clothing. But, you can buy at a high end store, or a discount store. You can buy knockoffs or you can buy on line. There is extensive competition.
Food: You don't even have to buy food at a store if you grow your own and can or jar it. There are still places where you can fish or grow your own cattle or pigs, chickens or goats for your family. But, if you do choose to buy food, there are many, many choices and you can buy whole grains and beans and watermelon to stay inexpensive, or you can go high end and buy fresh seafood and grass-raised beef. Or, if you watch commercials, you might end up buying Beefaroni and Campbell's Soup. There is lots of choice.
Health care: If you are in a car accident, the police will take you to the hospital. You have no choice to opt-out or opt-in and you can't choose your hospital. If you develop TB, you have no choice to opt-out. You are a public risk, and you will have to partake in a TB program. If you are hurt on the job and can't work, you will have to use Workman's Comp Insurance for health care to get better so that you can return to work. They will not let you just stay home to recover. To do so is to risk loosing your job. When it's time for your children to start school, they will need to show that they have been vaccinated in order to protect the other children. If your child has asthma, diabetes or cancer or a tumor, you will need to get him/her treatment because to ignore this is to put your child's life at risk. And, do I need to talk about the Staph infections that eat away at your flesh? And, what about the diseases that are caused by your working conditions, from a mine or from working with heavy metals or dust or heat or asbestos or PCB's? And, what about the soldiers who worked with the depleted uranium?
Do you see, Kaspian? Health care is only a choice if you're talking about a cold. You can treat that or not. It's up to you. But when we're talking about more serious conditions, you really don't have a choice.
And, when we're talking about
soldiers, or the victims of war or terrorism, where is their choice?
And, competition does not exist in small, rural areas. There are few doctors and there is generally only one hospital within reach.
So, health care is NOTHING like other industries.