Replies

Speaking in practical terms, Boomers must lower their expectations to real levels. This means not getting the quality of exorbitantly priced medical care that Greatest Generation are now getting, but it doesn’t mean not getting any at all.

This means market forces and what is called “opportunity costs” in economics.

To start with, nobody can afford insurance for routine medical care. Not insurance companies and not the government. But on the plus side, if it is all “out of pocket”, it can be as much as 50% less expensive, because of the much lower overhead.

Likewise, malpractice must be limited to actual damages for malpractice, not just bad luck. Also driving down the price of medical care.

Catastrophic care still needs to be insured, but it is so unprofitable, that it almost has to be by the government, with that insurance “lock boxed” from day 1 in private accounts.

Most likely the vast majority of nursing home care will have to be outsourced to medical “enclaves” built just south of the border. This will take advantage of Mexico’s better legal environment, much lower caregiver to patient ratio, and a lot more non-medical labor support. Quality care but at a much lower price.

A lot of self-inflicted conditions will have to be “out of the system”. Smokers, alcoholics and drug abusers, and the extremely obese will have to take responsibility for their self abuse, and not be given more than palliative care for severe pulmonary conditions, destroyed livers, and the numerous health complaints associated with extreme obesity.

If they want to change and be treated, they need to do so at least a decade before they need to be treated. Their choice.

However, oddly enough, euthanasia does not figure in to this equation, because it is so remarkably easy to murder and call it euthanasia. If they want to commit suicide, they must do so on their own.