In a sad way I was introduced to a capitalistic healthcare system. The mother in law's rat terrier was not eating. Vet visit and bill one a month ago. No real diagnosis but better food and some stool softener.
It did not get better. After letting another paycheck roll through she takes the yappie thing back in. They wanna do x-rays. She requests and actually gets an estimate and takes the dog home no x-rays. Well after a night of puking she takes the dog back in and pays for x-rays.
TUMOR! and a decent size one blocking some intestines.
Now when my old man had cancer chemo lengthened his life by a bit under the old Eisenhower era socialist system. But with this dog on the open market the mother in law had to think about tests and biopsies then treatment costs.
Well, it PROBABLY was not going to work and this yappie dog was 9 years old so she drug.her feet a few nights to analyze the cost vs chances of success.
Then last week had the pup creamated. It WAS the responsible thing to do financially after all according to the capitalist death panel