youre slightly off target. yes, companies could benefit from higher cost but theres a little thing called competition. why doesnt coke raise their prices to unreasonable levels? because pepsi would take all their business. coke has to stay competitive. thats part of the foundation of a free market, take competition away and you can set your price at whatever you want, especially when it comes to healthcare.

lets say the government comes in and places higher taxes on the ingredients of coke and pepsi products...costs go up for you and me. now say the government requires every single bottle of coke and pepsi to be lab tested to meet a government level of accepted taste...cost goes up. now the government steps in again and says every bottle of coke and pepsi products must be in a different, more expensive container...cost goes up. the government can continue to do this for as long as they can think up new restrictions.

this is just one hypothetical example, think about all the different industries the government get involved in by placing unnecessary guidelines.