I always say I'm skiing in Europe and I don't have any real knowledge about skiing in US, but reading here and elsewhere, I would say inbound avalanches do happen. Next to that, I have quite some knowledge about snow and avalanches, especially as over here, your life depends on it if you want to ski not groomed stuff. That's why I know, there's simply no 100% safe terrain, even if there was avalanche mitigations going on. I guess all these inbound slides you had just this winter proves that.
I'm sure most of people, who were never in backcountry, don't really realize potential dangers and take stuff easy. But reality is, breaking leg and then waiting for help is something completely different then getting into avalanche and waiting for being dig out. For broken leg, you can literally lay there for hours and except for some pain, nothing bad will happen. In avalanche you have just few minutes time, and then you die. Even with all patrolers around, I doubt they can gather team locate and dig out person in 15min after avalanche happened. As I wrote, I don't know anything about skiing in US, but I would be honestly surprised if there's crew of patrolers waiting on top of every single run. And even if it would, it takes time for them to reach site etc. So at least for me, inbounds or backcountry is same thing, as long as inbounds is off piste. You have less chances to get caught in avalanche but you still have.
Next, ABS or beacon. I would say both. As soon as I step out of groomed piste, both are with me (plus of course showel and probe), even if it's spring snow and avi level is at 1. ABS gives you more chances to stay on top once it slides, and if you are out there alone, it's your only protection (of course next to your brains which tells you if you should go or not). But it doesn't guarantee you will stay on top. As soon as you are not on top, beacon is only chance people around you will find you still alive. That's why both. Sure ABS is a bit bulky and not super comfortable on lift, but staying alive is more important for me that comfort on lift
Price? It's cheap compared to your life... at least for me.