Poignant post on the rise and fall of military care. Rationing in the military becomes easer since rank is easy to define.

But what happens in the civilian world?

Where will people be shunted in our new system when we realize it is too expensive or we have too few doctors to provide the care? In short, how will our “rank” be determined? Can we really expect that universal healthcare will not exact a toll on each and every one of us?

The hard truth is that some type of rationing is necessary if costs are to be controlled. We need honest and frank discussion on how futile care, unproven treatments, and unnecessary diagnostic tests should be limited.

Read the whole thing.