Beth, Since the 1970s especially, The Blue Cross, Blue Shiels have intensified going from non profit to profit, and the drug companies have become  denizens of not working so much for cures, but working for that which will bring in the big bucks.  The physicians own stakes, most times in insurance and in the drug companies, and the MDs are given great vacations which are called, "Medical Conferences," and the drug companies can give their pitches in exotic places which will be paid for which may include the physician and his family.  I mean fine cruizes, sometimes European, and often Carribean ports, and we, the public, watch on.  Your right;  All care is outlined in code books, and the geneeral person, sadly feels that if it is what the Dr. wants, then they must not need that scan.  Everything is blamed on, "Obama," care, when we get zero, Obama care, becaause it was so watered down by the time it hit congress where little was left of it.  Now drug stores are closing, saying Obama cause 24 hour care to be unnecessary, and every health care worker is to tell you, "It is all worse under, "Obama Care." We will only be better when we know the truth, and it is this;  If you want drug compnies and insurance companies to control your care, along with The American Hospital Association.  Just expect what you have now only worse.  There is one way to fix this mess, and one alone, and it is to get physicians out of the money making support from insurance and drugs.  It is to just start over, and have the highest minds from the brightest schools to reorgaanized a public hospital system,and there will be tiers of care where the rich can buy. That is as old as the Bible and older, but if you and we care about public health, then we have to get it out of money made extra by supporting physicians to not order care. The real Obama care would be modeled after England and Canada and other civilized nations, but if we want care for ourselves and for others; We have got to reach high, and remove references to what insurance will pay for. Each district would have a physician. Home health could be respected publich health nurse calls, and hospitals can make profits by being paid per every occupied bed, and Physician training should be given at least every five years if we want our health care to stand up to the academic medicine we can afford.// When a cap was put on how much physicians could receive monetarily, then the drug companies went to things like fine vacation or super televisions and equipment to those who would use their product. It is a losing battle. I have had care in England and in Canada, and there was no long waiting period. Getting care early usually means a better outcome measured in live patients who have productive lives. This is where Hillary Clinton, and President Obama were headed; Just ditch what we have, make things less complex. Empty thos ERs for all but ER, and all would be encouraged to have a visit with the physician at least every two years in any one practice area.  It is lack of Obama care which is killing us, and I am sad to say that I did nursing until the point that my body was broken trying to care for people, taking complaints of overtime, for I would just stay late to chart. All of these carts with everything on them from BP cuffs on are not cleaned from patient to patient, and must I draw a picture? By having to chart then and there, you are going to get no extra help from that nurse, for her or his job is on the line, and they will do what they can for you. A paperless system is your most certain ways of never being able to know from hour to hour what happens, and your life is at stake to have a person look in on you per hour if you are lucky. Please, do not fall for, "Obama Care," as being the demon. Demons expect a big pay day called, "For Profit Insurance," and physicians get drawn in to the, "Medical Conferences," and the other drug company treats, for they are only human. May you know the medical care when it was about the pride of caring for people. Also know that most nurses, most techs, and support staff are doing what they can, but now the training is too often in, "How not to give patient care." It is about meeting AHA standards of care, and everything, no matter what any believe is about dollars. Before we slit the throats of public medicine again; Could we demand a try? Thank you for sharing, and my prayers are with your mother. Barb