How would Americans purchase, maintain, and use their automobiles if they  followed the logic of the health care system?

Dr. James Hamilton offers an analogy, which was reprinted by KSSmallBiz.com:

Imagine having to call ahead to your insurer to pre-approve your next tank of gas, while waiting on hold for a reply.  The gas station would submit a bill, only to be told that the filling station owner left off the insurance ID number, or that the customer had exceeded the limit of 3 tanks/month.  Then, the station would bill the customer, who long since used the gas, and would feel no obligation to pay.  Station owners and repair shops would raise prices to cover for the added staff and overhead of submitting insurance claims.  Prices of gas, oil, and repairs would be set to maximize payment from insurers without violating insurance contracts, while preventing consumers  from negotiating true market prices.  Prices would spiral out of control.

And that's just the beginning.