"Because they will die without healthcare, patients will pay any price. Therefore healthcare providers are not subject to market forces."
To be sure, there are urgent healthcare needs (car accident injuries, heart attack) where it's impractical/impossible in the moment to choose among providers.
But that doesn't mean that you didn't make market choices _before_ the accident, such as choosing a health insurance plan that has reciprocal agreements with local hospitals.
In addition, most healthcare spending is on non-urgent conditions (cancer, heart disease, etc)--patients have time to choose among many doctors, hospitals, procedures before they undergo care. And patients _are_ price sensitive, especially when spending their own money.
To be sure, there are urgent healthcare needs (car accident injuries, heart attack) where it's impractical/impossible in the moment to choose among providers.
But that doesn't mean that you didn't make market choices _before_ the accident, such as choosing a health insurance plan that has reciprocal agreements with local hospitals.
In addition, most healthcare spending is on non-urgent conditions (cancer, heart disease, etc)--patients have time to choose among many doctors, hospitals, procedures before they undergo care. And patients _are_ price sensitive, especially when spending their own money.