In Germany, we have the same situation (high barrier to entry - pharmacists need to study almost as much as doctors - and an insanely complex regulatory and billing scheme)... but we don't have issues that are relevant for the patients like the US has, because we have what the US lacks: a framework that has other people (=insurances + the government negotiating with pharma companies + government setting rates for medical services, the "GoÄ" ruleset) deal with the bullshit.
A person under government-mandated insurance (88% of Germans) won't ever see a bill for prescribed treatments (although there are tiny co-pays for medicine like 5-10€ per pack, and 10€ a day for hospital stays limited to 280€ a year). People financially disadvantaged (= receiving government aid, Hartz IV) are limited to 42€ a year in total medical co-pay, everything above that is waived.