If we are to address the realities of run-away healtcare costs, there are a number of issues that must be resolved.

First, individuals need to understand the relationship between what they do, eat, drink, ingest, smoke, expose themselves too determines most of the health issues they will face over their life times.  For example, poor eating habits either too much or too little create healthcare issues that left unattended, get worse, get more expensive and lead to the early expiration of the person.  Take responsibility for yourself and eat better, drink more water and walk a couple times a week. 

Second the legal system is a major driver of medical expense growth.  Doctors are not God.  They do not know everything, they cannot fix everything, and sometimes even make mistakes.  The lottery mentality of the legal - medical system has to go. 

Third, we have to break the lock the Doctors Union has on who provides healthcare and control on what level what education is required provide what level of service.   We need more service providers, but do they all need to be Doctors? 

Forth, insurance is a pretty straight forward concept, how it has been bastardized in the medical field is amazing.  Lets take  a look at  auto insurance as a comparison.  The more tickets, fines, accidents, DWI's you rack-up, the more expensive your insurance.  But  why is health insurance different?  Why do I pay at the same rate as a smoker with lung-cancer or a drunk with liver problems?  Why should I pay at the same rate as the snow skier who tears up their knees and ankles?  For some reason health insurance goes out  of its way not to hold the individual responible and to price their insurance accordingly. 

Fifth, why is America so fixed on healthcare?  Could it be the billions of dollars of advertising spent each year to sell us products, devices and other crap we could do without?

I could go on and on but none of it matters, unless we individuals start taking responibilitiy for ourselves and our own  health.  Then, we can go after the various industries by electing people who work for us and not lobbyists.