First off, it won't reduce the costs. Healthcare costs haven't been reduced because adding people that are expensive to take care of, increase costs. The insurance companies have to make money so they pass on the costs to everyone. The individual mandate is also sort of dumb because it is cheaper to take the penalty than to pay for something you may never use...I think it's $750. I pay $65, single male healthy, every check. That is $1690 a year. I save about $1000 if I don't follow Obamacare. My premiums in 2010 btw, were $39. The only reason I have it is because I'm not a fool 20 something that thinks I am indestructible.
Now, I am all for outlawing pre existing condition discrimination. It's wrong to just let people die. But, it's also dumb to prolong life if it costs a lot to a point. It's why Europe and Canada don't allow all medicines and procedures for everyone...they would go bankrupt. It's why Obamacare has a panel of cost cutters. Sarah Palin called it a death panel to be inflammatory but it's technically true. If your 90 year old cancer ridden grandma just broke her hip, she's likely not going to get a hip replacement.
Now, I am also for forcing insurance companies to spend 50+% of your own money you pay for your own healthcare.
Did Obamacare need to be 2000+ pages for that?
To reduce healthcare costs a few things need to happen: tort reform, interstate competition, increase costs for over weight individuals and decrease costs for healthy individuals (no smoker/healthy/wellness benefit), change our drug laws that allow one corporation the market share and higher prices (remember how much ***** pills were 10 years ago), stop allowing drug companies to advertise, fine doctors that prescribe name brand instead of generic if one is available or allow the Pharmacist to give the patient the option for generic if available, have more government subsidized free clinics for illegal immigrants and those who have no health insurance (hospitals should not be providing preventative care for illegal immigrants or people with no health insurance), and lastly...increase health education awareness.