Wealth transfer through voluntary death.
Today, the hopelessly ill who are insured must choose between futile treatment and prolonged morbidity. Legalizing physician-assisted death for the hopelessly ill would broaden patient choice and conserve scarce resources. To ensure that the saved resources will not be re-channeled to more futile treatments for other hopelessly ill patients, those who choose dignified passage should be allowed to determine how the saving from their refusal to a prolonged death is to be re-deployed. Converting projected entitlements into death benefits at a discount would not only reduce health-care and retirements costs but improve allocation of scarce resources.
Memphis State University, TN 38152.
K K
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Fung
D017046:Cost Savings / Q000379:methods; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D005381:Financing, Organized / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012297:Right to Die / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000191:economics*; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States