Sad day in the USA

Part of the problem is the skyrocketing cost of healthcare. And part of that problem are "non-emergency visits to the ER".

"Any thoughts on where the increasing cost of health care is coming from"
it is not coming from increased wages for health care staff. In my humble opinion part of the problem is care that is given to those who will never get better. I am not saying that I think assisted suicide or putting people to death is right. But often millions of $$$$ are spent keeping corpses alive because families can't make the decision to allow a peaceful death, have not been given hopsice options or their MD does not belive in allowing a peaceful death. My family had to make the decision to take my father of the vent when we knew he wasn't going to get bettter. His life would have been on a vent, with a trach and tube feedings. Luckily for us, he had told us this was not the life he wanted, had the needed documents and we could act in his best interest. But this is just my opinion. As a nurse, I will support whatever the patient and family decide.

The government helps provide food and shelter in the form of food stamps and subsidized housing...at least they do where I come from.