The primary reason for the rising cost of healthcare is NOT the doctors.  The health insurance companies are owned by stockholders who want a growth in their stock.  If an insurance company doesn't make a larger profit every year, then the stock would be worthless and the company would fail.  To make more profit, they have to bring in more funds by raising the premiums as high as the market will bear.  When the number new of policies sold go down and large employers completely back out, the premium is as high as it can go for now.  The next way to make more profit is to cut overhead.  The insurance companies employees, taxes, buildings, advertising, paper, phones, etc can only be cut back so far.  Where do they generate more profit?  Cut their biggest expense; the doctors, hospitals and pharmacies.  If this CEO can't make a larger profit margin within a year or two, he will be fired and a new one brought in to make that profit.  Currently, CEO's make $2000-$8000 (salary, benefits and bonuses) per hour for 40 hours per work week with vacation.  Where did that money come from?  YOUR PREMIUMS.  If your premiums are paid by your employer, it seems cheap to you, but your employer is actually paying you less per paycheck than you are worth to them.  It is still your money that is being wasted on the ridiculous payroll of of CEO's and stockholder profit.  At this point, Blue Cross expects to pay only 70¢ of each dollar of your premium to doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies.  13¢ of each dollar goes to their overhead.  17¢ is their stockholders profit.  The stockholders profit has to go higher every year by not paying the doctors as much.   Imagine if you will, what it will be like when an insurance company can keep over 50% of your premium and less than half of your money goes to its original purpose, paying for your medical care.