http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/22/news/economy/doctors_pricing/index.htm
[quote=© 2009 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company]"One of the dangers of greater price transparency is that consumers use prices as a proxy for quality," said Paul Ginsburg, president of non-profit Center for Studying Health System Change.[/quote]
Living in a rural area, albeit it one with an 'adequate' number of physicians, I often hear this price=quality argument. People drive between 80 and 200 miles to see physicians in the "big cities" based on how much Dr. Big City charges for an office visit as opposed to what Dr. Little Town changes. Dr. Big City must be a better doctor as he charges $XXX more than Dr. Little Town.
The amazing thing is that many of the Big City speciality doctors have satellite clinics in the Small Town doctors offices.