The times when I have had a high-deductible health insurance I definitely want to know about the prices, but it's hard to get that option, because the doctors assume that you aren't paying for it. Do I really want to pay $100 for an X-ray of my teeth? Not necessarily: last time the dentist said my teeth were great and they are feeling fine to me, so maybe I don't need an X-ray every year, but they don't ask if I want a $100 X-ray, they just tell me to do this and that and then charge $100. I went to one doctor for an eye exam and they charged me $350 because they assumed I had insurance. The same exam at another place cost $50. You could make your same argument about car repair (when you're car isn't working you just want it fixed), but there the standard practice is the give an estimate. In fact, places that do work without asking you and then charge you for it are looked at as shady.

When the patient doesn't personally pay for the service, the cost of the service has every incentive to go up. Is the service better? Generally, yes. Is the "better-ness" necessary? In the case of my teeth, probably not.