[Skybird]

Problem with modern medicine is that it becomes more and more expensive. In Germany, we have de facto a two-class medicine already, becasue they needed to add so many regulations to the insurance system that are meant to finance the system that the money all too often is not enough. Doctors need to fight with budget limits per quarter, and if the money for a quarter is no more, you will get cheaper, eventually not optimal medications, or are put on waiting lists. This makes hospitals and doctors prefer patients who are privately insured. Also, the different lobbies try their best to manipulate the system to milk as much money of it as possible. Especially the pharmaceutical industry and the pharmacists try their best to prevent competition, and keep prices high (Nowhere in europe drugs are as expensive as in Germany). Mismanagement in the insurance system lead to some insurance companies living beyond their financial possebilities, at the cost of others who manage well - and because of that are obligated to give away very high ammounts of money - that are used to finance the first.

At no cost I would like to have the american system. General health insurance is one of the things I accept to be covered by our oprinciple of "social solidarity" our community is depending on. But the German system needs far-leading, reasonable reforms, too, to prevent the many daily abuses and manipulations.

Nobody seems to want to have a discussion on the problem of modern medicine making itself unaffordable for more and more people (and by far not only the so-called "poor"). It will not be done before the problem jumps with hurting spikes into our eyes, I assume. Having been with dying people on special, closed stations at hospital I am convinced that it is not onoly important to have the available tools available for therapies, but that the way in which people can be allowed to die is as important. I saw much misery and fear there. Becasue we live in a cult that tries to avoid any mentioning of the fact bthat we are mortal and one day will die,and thus many people never learn to approach the idea of their own death, and never learn how to deal with that once the time has come. The result is tragedy, panic, and often total isolation.

No good way to die, I tell you, no matter if you are old, or if you are young and suffer from a disease or accident. I have made some certain decisions for myself, for that reason, and always carry a card with instruction with me that tells them where to find or get my advance health care directive (? Patientenverfügung) that gives more details on when I expect them NOT to continue with certain treatments in case I am not able to formulate my will myself anymore.

There are times and situations when you simply need to let go. In our culture with it'S body cult and living cult and medicine cult and death-avoidance cult it is almost a sacrileg to mention that.