The free market, and American ingenuity and pluck work to chop the cost of medical care, at least in Oklahoma

Looks like pure competition saves the day, putting the shame on Obamacare, Medicare and any other form of socialized medicine.

Two Oklahoma doctors decided to publish openly their charges for medical services.  It turns out that they can provide the same service for a mere fraction of what their more conventional competitors were charging.

   “When we first started we thought we were about half the price of the hospitals,” Dr. Lantier said. “Then we found out we’re less than half price. Then we find out we’re a sixth to an eighth of what their prices are. I can’t believe the average person can afford health care at these prices.”

By being upfront about their prices, the KFOR-TV report explains, the clinic hoped to win over customers by defeating its competition in a price war.

The Oklahoma doctors were successful on both accounts.

“Their first out-of-town patients came from Canada; soon everyday Americans caught on,” the report reads. “A handful of other Oklahoma medical facilities have started joining Surgery Center of Oklahoma in price transparency.”

“Surgery Center of Oklahoma does accept private insurance, but the center does not accept Medicaid or Medicare,” the report continues. “Dr. Smith said federal Medicare regulation would not allow for their online price menu.”

They have been able to avoid government regulations in that area by simply not accepting Medicaid or Medicare payments.

This clearly illustrates my feeling that if the government would simply unleash the power and creativity of the people, the problem with the costs of medical care would take care of itself.  Perhaps the government's role should be limited to some broad and minor regulation, to ensure that everyone played fair together, and then let the market sort out the winners from the losers.

It's worked before and it would work again, if it weren't for the all consuming need for government to control everything.

Related: a small private company in a business park in England may have discovered the key to curing cancer.   Faster, please!