Patient options and choices such as "go to the doctor" vs "go into crippling debt while trying to navigate a labyrinthine billing nightmare"?

Just as an alternative point of view - you describe these regulations as "government-imposed". Would it not be equally (if not more) likely that these regulations are being created and supported by the industry players themselves?

This lack of real competition that you mention sounds like a dream if you have few scruples and a captive market. And telling someone that they'll die unless they pay for your services seems to be about as captive of a market as you can get.