Lugh, the enormous hospital costs offset an ugly truth in the USA. The care of indigent folks, folks without insurance or moneu to pay, is guaranteed by EMTALA, a federal Law making ER admission mandatory and care guaranteed until stable. In this case, everyone shares in the costs by paying high costs, or at least the insurance companies do. Medicaid takes care of the everyday medical care. Both are welfare programs, the social safety net, that approximates the social healthcare systems of Europe. They pay taxes to support their Healthcare, the US pays taxes for routine care of the indigent and pay exorbident prices for tertiary care to offset the indigent costs.

One thing is becoming obvious today. The long wait times of social healthcare are coming to the USA due to our healthcare becoming more socialized with Obamacare. More patients, less MDS.