Comment by UnpossibleJim

Exactly. It's the same reason we don't have free market police and fire services. You simply don't get to "shop around" for emergency services, which includes privatized ambulance services (which are outrageously expensive, on the order of $12,000 for the ride I took when I had to take one, and it was a relatively benign one... thank god I had insurance). EMS is covered, but that's the Fire Department. After that, it's all privatized. If it's cosmetic, then I could see the argument. But when it comes to emergency services, and for ambulances especially, the "free market" argument just doesn't hold water.