from “In Defense of Death,” in Abominations, Lionel Shriver
“In the United Kingdom, 40 percent of the government’s budget goes to the National Health Service …” (p222)
“Alas, for many patients, we don’t extend life but drag out death …” (p225)
Among the recommendations attributed to Daniel Callahan (Taming the Beloved Beast) …
“Return to a medical model that treats injury and disease, not dissatisfaction—thus relegating redress of infertility, erectile dysfunction, and gender reassignment, for example, to elective procedures that the disgruntled are obliged to finance on their own dime.” (p225-6)
“,,, half of the American population … consumers a mere 3 percent of the [healthcare] costs. (Five percent of the population consumes 50 percent of the costs; the top 1 percent consumers 22 percent of the costs.)” (p231)
