Great comment. But that was not the only driving force. Several years ago commercial insurance carriers basic policy generally allocated approximately $25,000 per year for in-patient treatment. Some physicians would hospitalize patients and once their benefits were exhausted after a very short period of time, they would immediately discharge them with little follow-up because outpatient benefits were extremely limited. Flagrant misuse of Medicaid benefits, at least in Texas, were extensive and lots of kiddos were hospitalized for treatment of Oppositional Defiant Disorder for several days and then discharged, most with no visible improvement. A few doctors made a whole lot of money until this was shut down. I also remember many years ago that people who had issues such as mental retardation, Downs Syndrome or severe learning disabilities were shuttled off to state institutions where they remained, some for their entire life. There is relatively no easy, inexpensive or long term care for many people who suffer from such illnesses such as paranoid schizophrenia or severe bipolar disorder.
“There is relatively no easy, inexpensive or long term care for many people who suffer from such illnesses such as paranoid schizophrenia or severe bipolar disorder.”
I would be willing to pay higher taxes IF said taxes were to be used to build prisons that contain murderous paranoid schizophrenics. They have no business being allowed to walk the streets.