Ask yourself why it's tied to employment! Because "government" in its infinite wisdom put price and wage controls during WWII and employers found a way around it!

When I was unemployed and paid for my own "health car" I averaged a 25% discount from every doctor we saw - sometimes up to 40% off.

The real problem is that the patient is insulated from the cost of the service.

Finally, ask yourself "how insurance for anything actually is supposed to work".