Squeezing savings out of the current system by better management and limited access will inevitably reach a point of diminishing returns.

Kraft also believed it could squeeze savings of at least $675m annually by the end of the third year.

But years of corporate downsizing and other measures have made it harder today to squeeze new savings out of already-lean American companies.

After 10 years of trying to save money by spending less on care, they hope to squeeze savings from their bloated administrative costs.

They have applied the budget knife gingerly, preferring to squeeze savings from programs across the board rather than lopping off entire branches of services.

Instead his solution to Asarco's woes was for him to act as buyer, squeezing savings out of any merged entity.

But the temptation to squeeze savings out of Medicare remains.

By contrast, the Senate bill would squeeze savings from both programs.

And the savings level is near an all-time low, making it less likely that consumers can squeeze savings further to finance big increases in buying.

That has helped make consumers slightly more willing to squeeze savings and take on a bit more debt.