Tomorrow's health care is already on display.....today. 

He's a bright young doctor, serving in an emergency room in the Chicago suburbs.  One evening, nearing midnight, the young woman strolled into the ER and demanded, "I want a pregnancy test!"

The physician responded, "Okay, but the Emergency Room is probably not the best place to have this done.  You might visit with your personal physician tomorrow morning."

"Nope." she demanded "I want one now!"

"But having a pregnancy test done in the ER will cost more than $500, and it will take away time from more critical patient." he gently suggested.

"It don't cost me a thing. I got the card."  She slowly waived a state funded health care card in front of the physician's face. 

Taking a more direct tone, the doctor responded, "Ma'am, you can go down to the local Walgreens and purchase a home pregnancy test for less than $10."

"I don't got $10. I got the card!"  She wasn't moving.

In a frustrated tone, the doctor said, "Ma'am, a pregnancy test does not require an ER visit.  It's a huge waste of my time and the state's resources.  I don't have to give you the test."

The new physician may have had years of education, but it didn't match the girl's street savvy.

"Well, in that case, my stomach hurts."  The girl continued.  "So you got to give me an exam." 

Knowing the system as she did, the girl's words now compelled the physician to perform an entire battery of tests (including the pregnancy test) to prevent a future malpractice case against himself or the hospital.........all because she "had the card."

As he drove home that night, the new doctor realized he had just witnessed the future of health care in America, punishing the responsible by rewarding the irresponsible.  Having dedicated his life to healing, the profession now made him sick.

(the above story was related to me by the physician's father.)