One important feature is laws requiring a high standard of care. Medical providers can be sued if they don't provide care meeting some defined standard. This prevents economic tradeoffs that would occur with other forms of consumption.
One can view standards that maintain a certain level of quality as privileging the well off, requiring an industry to cater to their preferences over those of other classes of consumers.
One can view standards that maintain a certain level of quality as privileging the well off, requiring an industry to cater to their preferences over those of other classes of consumers.