However, if your insurance company told you there'd be a discount on your next premium if you picked Hospital A or Provider B you would take notice.

There is no incentive for the insurer to make such a choice. They are under a different set of legal obligations than any patient. The insurance company has ONE objective--to maximize their profit by being AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE to the minimum medical expense payout amount that allows them to keep the FULL PREMIUM COLLECTED. If the payout falls BELOW the federally required medical payout amount, the insurer has to REFUND A PORTION OF THE PREMIUMS COLLECTED TO THE INSURED CUSTOMERS.

Plus, you--AND the insurance company--have omitted a third option. Medical tourism. Some businesses are now offering it as an option in their self-insurance programs. The company saves a lot of money AND the employee gets needed covered medical care *plus* vacation in one reasonably priced package--mostly/wholly paid by the employer due to massive savings realized by avoiding the overly-expensive US healthcare system.

I have posted this info on TMF several times over the years.