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Finite Health Care Resources Cutting Health Care Essay

Finite Health Care Resources Cutting health care costs is becoming a serious issue for the government and for medical corporations and patients throughout the U.S. today. There are several ways in which these costs can be cut, and one of those ways is to limit the life-extending care that is currently being provided to the elderly (Bond & Bond, 1994). This is not the same as limiting care that would improve their lives, but is only designed to limit the care that prolongs a life that already has little to no quality. However, it is not just the elderly who cost the country a great deal of money when it comes to medical care. Premature infants are also very expensive to keep alive, and an argument could be made that these infants should be allowed to expire, since they were not viable when they were born. It is a conundrum on both ends of the spectrum. Part of the issue has to do with the quality and cost of care, but another part of the issue has to do with the age of the person who is being considered for a lack of life- prolonging treatment.

Focusing on the...

Once they have reached their "golden years," elderly people are not considered as "useful" from a societal standpoint (Bond & Bond, 1994; Saunders & Kastenbaum, 1997). While they may be deeply loved and appreciated by their family and friends, the fact remains that these individuals have gotten past the point of usefulness as it relates to having a full-time job and contributing to society financially. There are exceptions, of course, but this is true of most cases. Because these elderly people generally cost taxpayers more than they contribute, they become a financial drain on society when examined from a purely monetary sense (Saunders & Kastenbaum, 1997). That may seem cruel, because they are human beings who deserve a chance at the rest of their life. However, the cost of prolonging their life when the quality of life is no longer present is often seen as a waste of resources that could be used to help others who are much younger…

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References

Bond J. & Bond S. (1994). Sociology and Health Care. NY: Churchill Livingstone.

Saunders, C.M. & Kastenbaum, R. (1997). Hospice Care on the International Scene. NY: Springer Pub. Co
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