Overutilization of care is, by some experts, considered to be the foremost issue facing the U.S. health care system. Oncologist and White House adviser Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel believes that overutilization of health care services is perhaps the greatest contributor to soaring medical costs. And many others agree.

A few reasons for overutilization of care include:

• A fee-for-service system that rewards volume over quality, leading to excessive surgical procedures

• Medical professionals overprescribing drugs rather than providing alternative treatment options

• Pharmaceutical companies marketing prescription drugs directly to consumers ("Ask your doctor about Lipitor...")

• Excessive and unnecessary use of costly medical tests

• Group insurance plans which shield consumers from the cost they incur

To reduce waste and improve efficiency, lawmakers have proposed a number of efforts to streamline the health care system. Among them are a system-wide standard of electronic medical records to boost coordination between medical providers; additional funding for research into the effectiveness of medical treatments; and incentives for hospitals and doctors to lower costs and provide better quality care.

Whatever the strategy, unless wasteful spending is cut significantly, the U.S. health care system will continue to see costs soar, especially if President Obama plans to extend coverage to the tens of millions of Americans who are currently uninsured.