A person, say a male 40-year-old, could pay $300 to $350 a year. Ten years ago, that would've cost probably $800 to $1,000 a year.

The people for whom the costs are incurred -- the patients -- have no idea what the true cost of these procedures are. It's appealing because Americans respond to prices because the availability of comparative information often puts them in a position where they can make meaningful choices.

My forecast is rates will go down by about three percent.

You might well pay less money now for the new policy than for the old one. Or, you might be able to buy more life insurance for the same amount of money.