Discussion Question: How Can We Reduce the Growth of Health Care Costs?

Curious to hear your answers to this question:

How can we reduce the growth of health care costs?

I'm asking because it seems to me that there is far too much discussion of cutting services, and not enough about how to control costs without affecting services (e.g., using the government's purchasing power to reduce the amount the government pays for drugs, reducing the cost of insurance companies fighting over who pays bills, etc.). Costs that can be cut without reducing services need to come first, then, when those efforts are exhausted, we can think about the services themselves. But that doesn't seem to be how we are proceeding.

[Click on question to answer, and please remember, one comment per person so take your time and be sure you've covered all the points you'd like to make.]