A few years ago, Forbes Media Chairman Steve Forbes made the simple, yet powerful, point that the “capitalist” American healthcare system pays little heed to the consumer. In a 2016 interview with My Central Jersey, Forbes pointed out that “not even the crummiest motel would put you in a room with other guests — as hospitals do with sick people — with just a curtain between, nor would they dare give you the kind of gowns provided by most hospitals and clinics.”

This observation challenges policymakers to think critically about the factors that make the hospitality sector so different than the medical care sector. If the government insisted on footing the bill for most hotel stays — or incentivized others to foot the bill on behalf of consumers — hotels would likely have far less incentive to keep rooms well maintained and spacious.