One of the best ways to treat a condition may be to prevent it from happening altogether. In addition to living a healthy lifestyle, it's also important for people to get preventative care.

Consumers and the medical industry can save a large sum of money by not having to treat patients for conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, for example.

According to a study that looked at those who participated in the U.S. Preventative Medicine Prevention Plan, 64 percent were able to lower their health risk status.

U.S. Preventive Medicine vice chairman Dr. Ronald Loeppke says too many people are falling victim to conditions that can be avoided.

"More and more Americans today are succumbing to preventable lifestyle risks that erode the quality and length of their life and this trend will create a tsunami of increased utilization of medical services, flooding our healthcare system and leaving an overwhelming economic burden on our society," says Loeppke.

Reducing healthcare costs may make it easier for people to find affordable health insurance quotes, experts say, due to expenses being less overall.

It doesn't come as a surprise to many people that healthcare costs are expected to rise next year. Most people have seen the amount of money they've been contributing towards insurance coverage take more from their paycheck. What may be new information for consumers, however, is how much premiums are set to rise.

The Milliman Group Health Insurance Survey reveals that the estimated increase for health maintenance organizations is more than 10 percent and nearly 12 percent for preferred provider organizations.

Some attribute the rate increases to healthcare reform. There are a number of new provisions the legislation brings, including requiring most people to have health insurance as well as prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on medical history.

The survey found that many insurers plan to implement quality incentive programs as well as participate in the health insurance exchanges in 2014.

There are people who have managed to reduce the amount they spend on care. Flexible spending accounts, for example, allow people to set money aside tax-free and use the funds towards medical expenses. Consumers can also look for affordable health insurance quotes online to see if there are more cost-effective plans available.

While finding affordable health insurance quotes and overall healthcare costs are frequently discussed, there is another important component to the medical industry - service. Providing quality care can impact the success of a doctor's practice in addition to one's well-being.

The American Medical Association is teaming up with Press Ganey Associates to help doctors obtain feedback from their patients. The program, RealTime, collects data so physicians can learn how to better serve customers. The report shows trends and comparisons without identifying a specific patient.

Press Ganey vice president of medical services Patricia Riskind says the data can be utilized to yield positive results.

"Electronic surveys are proven to work, and the results are empowering," says Riskind. "We help physician practices overcome one of the greatest obstacles to improving satisfaction and loyalty - the lack of actionable results."

Improving service and care will affect a number of patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2009 National Health Interview Survey says more than 80 percent of adults and more than 90 percent of children had contact with a healthcare employee in the U.S.

It's no secret that many Americans think changes need to be made in the healthcare system. While the government has created a number of new laws, there is still room for improvement in most people's eyes.

According to a survey by the Commonwealth Fund, 56 percent of healthcare opinion leaders feel there needs to be a change in the way doctors are paid. Those respondents indicated they were in favor of a system where the government sets rates for all payers. The researchers indicated that switching to such a method may result in savings from fewer administrative needs.

Other research has shown that healthcare costs have steadily increased over the years.

Fewer expenses may result in savings getting passed down to consumers with either a group or individual health insurance plan.

Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis says the current healthcare system results in price variations.

"Experts agree that if private payers and public programs could come together and agree to pay the same way, and the same amount, we can improve the efficiency of our health care system, eliminate administrative waste, and create better experiences for patients," says Davis.

Many people think of drugs as a teen problem. However, research from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that it is increasingly becoming a problem among older adults.

The number of patients between the ages of 45 and 64 being treated for medication and illicit drug conditions increased more than 100 percent between 1997 and 2008.

HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrator Pamela Hyde says this is a negative trend.

"Substance abuse is rising, and drug abuse of all kinds is exploding as a major public health concern for our country," says Hyde. "The challenge for our health care practitioners is to see that patients receive medications when there is medical need but also to help prevent the adverse health consequences from drug use."

The National Institute on Drug Abuse notes that many medications are beneficial for patients when taken properly. Adverse health consequences can arise, including addiction, when patients don't take medications according to physicians' orders. They note that the most commonly abused medications fall into three categories: opioids, CNS depressants, stimulants.