Let's go dig up that Harley and toss that carcass on the highway somewhere?!

The tragedy to be found in the remainder of one's life-savings or what's left of their pension or even the insurance they've paid into going to medical expenses in the last days or weeks of their lives should sicken their survivors and be enough to indict the entire medical establishment on gross negligence and fraud.

It's not that easy, @chingalera. I am one of those progressive liberals who are supposed to be twee about every life.

And I share your horror at medical costs that are poured into the days of our eldest citizens.

It is different when it is your loved one. My dad almost died seven years ago, was in ICU for a week, rehab hospital for a month, then to a nursing home. He would have died, too, if he had had a DNR. But how could I sign a DNR for someone who was going into the hospital for a simple gall bladder operation?

He has one now, but he didn't at the time. He survived and went from being miserable living with his second wife to having seven years of great quality of life. Seeing five great grandchildren born, two of whom were named for him. Winning just about every fishing tournament they had -- most fish, biggest fish, smallest fish -- one prize, if not all three of them. Finding his way into being a more loving person with his family than he ever allowed himself to be before.

And he "should have" died, by every practical financial measure.

These seven years have been the greatest blessing our family could have received.

Is that gross negligence and fraud, for the hospital to have saved his life at an enormous cost? Because in many ways, we got a father we never knew before.

And he has a DNR now. If it repeats, he is a goner. And we are all fine with that. But damn if I am not thrilled that I failed to get it before.

Now factor in all the people in early life going without quality healthcare/dental and the chronic conditions it might lead to later in life that will eventually bite the taxpayer in the ass...

That's the part that never breaks the surface of this debate, keeping your populace healthy (and happy) pays itself back in a more healthy mid-late age person, capable of staying in the workforce (and ergo generating tax revenue) longer, self funding retirement as opposed to "leeching" off the system, less sick day absenteeism (or alternately, sick workers showing up, working below par and infecting co-workers) etc.

That's not socialism, that's smart.

I'd be amazed if no one ever actually quantified this as a cost/benefit analysis, but it wouldn't play well so I guess the point is moot.

And yeah, the state should regulate the medical and pharmaceutical industries against ludicrous profit taking from the most vulnerable. The current state of play in the US seems more akin to a mafia extortion racket than a service dedicated to maintaining and enriching the health of it's clientele...

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