The two driving forces for higher costs are subsidization of demand (gov't assistance + insurance, all of which have some pass-through effect on raising the cos

The two driving forces for higher costs are subsidization of demand (gov't assistance + insurance, all of which have some pass-through effect on raising the cost of services), and artificial restriction of supply (it's hard to create a hospital/vet service/hire non-US doctors). Most market-driven healthcare approaches have been handicapped by one (or usually both) of those factors still being in play.