[JamesBarney]

The problem is that healthcare is more concentrated which always helps with lobbying efforts.

Pharmaceuticals are 5 large companies. The rest of the economy is 500. So let's imagine there is a bill that would reduce the cost of drugs by 50 billion dollars. Each non drug company would stand to save 100 million but each pharmaceutical company stands to lose 10 billion. This is a classic coordination problem, and free riding dictates the pharmaceuticals win everytime.

[ewood]

True. I think that if Buffett wanted to address this problem his best option would be to fund an entity that could lobby on this issue and match dollar-for-dollar pharmaceutical company donations for house reps and senators that were willing to push to reduce the cost of healthcare.

Tackling healthcare is one 'big issue' that could have a huge effect on the US economy and living standards. Seems a worthy 'legacy' project for Buffett to finance.