the machine built to keep you alive that also decides how much your life costs.
means the tangled network of hospitals, insurers, doctors, and paperwork that determines who gets treated, how, and at what price.
from emerged piecemeal in the 19th and 20th centuries as industrial nations tried to organize medicine beyond individual doctors and house calls, splitting into two philosophies: healthcare as a public good, or healthcare as a market good.
nhs uk — free at point of use since 1948, funded by taxes
us employer insurance — ties coverage to your job, a wwii wage-control accident
canada medicare — single-payer, provinces run it, no private duplicate allowed
singapore medisave — mandatory savings accounts plus catastrophic insurance, low cost, high satisfaction