>>>Why was the first version so much more expensive?
>>>Insurance covered the cost - I had no motivation to shop, nor actually any power to do so.
>
>Agreed. Usually insurers would be incentivized to hold down costs, but not in US healthcare where insurer margins are capped at 20%. It's illegal to shave more margin but if prices increase, their 20% share yields more dollars and pleases shareholders. There's nobody left to hold down prices except the secret socialist US single payer who must not be mentioned (Medicare) that currently tries to control costs by capping physician payments, with predictable result.

Actually they could bargain with the pharmafia, being the single largest customer. Could, but can't, because (someone paid to make it) there be a law preventing that.