>>I know, which is why I didn't use any example fresher than seven years. At this distance, any fuscherei would have become obvious.
>
>But the price-leveling effect of shoddy workmanship (spelled with a p in front) will have a hard time to work long term.
>Was not meant as a slight of your doctor or similar.

We picked the guy by reputation, and he was good. Still, surprisingly cheap compared to US prices. And more or less level with the prices of other private dentists. As we heard later, the shoddy ones charge about the same, just not as often, and a few have closed shops already. So, (speaking serbian now :), fušeraj pays but doesn't get you far.

>>One of my points - the health market isn't free. For instance, there were two drugs, one costing $30 a month and the other $70, which are now sold as one, containing a composite of the two, at $300. You can read the ingredient list and you see for yourself that they're charging you triple now - and what's your market choice? Go to a different doctor, as long as he's "in the system", i.e. has a contract with your insurance. And your insurance isn't picking up the extra $200 a month, for whichever reason they invent.
>
>Nobody can forbid you to cut the pills in half and add those two together.

I wasn't clear. Two separate drugs, drug A at $30 and drug B at $70. They have about 1% of active matter each. They are often prescribed together, because of the effect they have that way. Now they are repackaged as drug AB, which has the 2% of active matter (speaking hypothetically, I don't remember whether I heard their names at all), which costs three times more than those two when bought separately, while having the exact same effect. And guess which one(s) does the good doctor prescribe?

>Or were the 2 "single drug" versions taken off the market ? If so, all hail generica...

Market? What market? These are prescription drugs, so you don't make a choice, your doctor does. You may chose a doctor, within limitations imposed by your insurance.