No, that's not it. Here:

We have a much higher level of technology
We have a population that wants everything done (but doesn't want to pay for it)
We have way too many lawyers and don't cap malpractice awards
We spend 70% of our health care dollars on people in their last 6 months of life.

Back in 1990, the race for the Mass Governorship, was between 2 very smart men, neither of them experienced politicians. Bill Weld vs John Silber. John Silber was the President of Boston University (the famous school that AOC graduated from).

Silber lost by a hair. One of the most famous sound bites from that election, was when John Silber said:

".... old people have an obligation to die".

His contention of course, was that we can continue to subsidize "death watches" as we do.

If people were executed at 65, that would certainly take care of the problem of social security running out of money in a few years. I would have taken mine at 62 - even with the lower payout!

And it would be easier to get a tee time!

But housing prices would probably fall because of a decreased demand.

However, you can expect some pushback.

Against a Duty To Die | Journal of Ethics | American Medical Association

Glad nobody I know ever used that "consultant". At least if they only "broke even", there'd be nothing left to pay for that advice, which is what it is worth.

At 32 patients/day,5 days/week, office-based practice only and a normal insurance and coding mix a primary care physician would do just fine.

Just as a ballpark estimate, he would generate about $850K in billing, collect about $750K, pay 50% overhead and leave about $375K pre-tax income. Just "a little" better than "break even"

And no, physicians are not paid for referrals to specialists any more than they get "kickbacks" from pharmaceutical companies, believe in the Easter Bunny, or any of the other ridiculous accusations that float around on the internet.

I would also add the higher cost for prescription drugs.

Everyone will die. Therefore, everyone has an obligation to die. We can't avoid it, we can't prevent it. It will come, whether we like it or not.

The "when" and the "how" are the unknowns. I think everyone should have the RIGHT to die on their own terms. If someone is in the hospital, with their hearts and lungs being forced to operate via machines, AND that someone has said "this is not what I want for myself when the time comes," then it should be honored. In every state. Further, if they're not being kept alive by machines, but are spending time, space, and money being forced to endure pain and suffering because of terminal end-stage illness, they should have the RIGHT to receive a lethal dose of pain relief if they want it, so they can end their lives in dignity and relative peace.

Bob Uecker's analogy: "I'm not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens." Miss you Uke.

Even Shakespeare had it right.

Why, thou owest God a death.

Henry IV, Part 1, Act 5, Scene 1

How do you avoid that if it's their policy and refuse to release the info?

1. Government regulation.
2. Administrative bloat.
3. Litigiousness.

and everything Golfing Eagles listed below.

No. Quite the opposite. The more the govt gets involved the less efficient and the more rationed it becomes.

We have waaaaay more here.

It is illegal to pay referral fees.

Unless you're an attorney, in which case it's fine.

Remind me again who makes the laws?

Back to the original subject... I love my GP. He's young, upbeat and extremely sharp. He is capable of caring for some things himself and if I need a referral, he connects me with the best specialty practioners out there. Definitely an asset to medical care and I don't waste his time.

As I understand it, if you pay for a test, you have a right to the results. Most tests, especially blood tests, are available on the provider's website. Quest and Lake Medical Imaging will always release test results to the patient. But I am happy to make an in-person visit for the physician to discuss test results. But, in the past, the office has wanted to schedule a phone call, including a full office visit charge and copay for the physician to call me. I agreed to that once, and the physician called me more than 2 hours later than the scheduled call time. No apology and no refund, even though I wasn't home when he called. Years ago, I had a physician who would call me with test results and didn't even think about charging me for the call.