The traditional “cost containment” approach is a poor idea:
A bad idea for dealing with cost is “cost containment.” What that means is cracking down on the prices and incomes of doctors, hospitals, and drug companies. Government attempts to do this run afoul of organized political opposition. Moreover, it is very difficult to implement heavy-handed negotiations on price without at some point stifling innovation and hurting quality. When it is allowed to operate, the market generally does a better job of cost containment. The example of laser eye surgery is frequently cited to support this in health care.
