I see that there are only a few suggestions on hows to address the Cost of healthcare here are a few more that if implimented word easly reduce the cost of insurance dramatically.

There are over 200 state mandates in the state of Oregon that have burdened the cost of insurance. (This is true for many of the other states as well)  If each of these mandates only cost 1/2% in premium dollors you are paying 100% more than you need to.  But lets assume that half of the mandates you want to keep then we reduce the rate 50%.  I'll take that to the bank.  Coupled with the freedom to be able to chose what coverage you want  and what coverage you are willing to pay out of pocket for would make insurance easily half the price it is now. Note that the politicians blame insurance and doctors but it is the politicians who are causing the majority of cost increases.  They do a really good job of point the finger.

Example:  You pay the smoking rate even though you don't smoke, you pay for pregnancy even if you are a single male,  or a woman who has her tube tied, you pay for psychiatric care even if you don't need it or want it, you pay for drug abuse care even if you don't want it.  The insurance company can't rate or limit coverage.  The list goes on and on.  The interesting thing about this is that you can't get alternative care if you want to on individual policies for the most part or very limited coverage.

There is also a hidden tax in insurance that pays for medicare and medicade where it doesn't pay enough to cover treatments and hospital stays. I'm not against paying for these things but lets do it out in the open and create a sinking fund to pay for these things in the open and not hide them in insurance premiums and then blame the insurance companies and the medical people for causing the rates to go so high.

The cost of coveing the uninsured is always going to be with us and again it is a hidden cost in insurance premiums so let get it out in the open and have a fund that all contribute to including illegal alians.  If you earn money there will be an amount that is with held no exceptions.  And the amount would depend on what is needed to keep the pool solvent.  Encourage thrift.

Summary:

The freedom of competition, eliminating pre-existing, freedom of choice, portability, tort reform, eliminate antitrust regulations, Stark rules, setting up high risk pools and uninsured pools. 

Problem solved and we still keep the best system in the World and the government out of it.