Since I don't have any karma to give you, all I can do is say "A-freakin'-men!" I wish more people realized that things like Medicare (especially) are just forcing tax-payers to foot the bill for services that are an individuals responsibility. If someone can't afford these services, then by no means should they just be left to die, I don't want to say that, but funds should be obtained through private charities/religious charities (aka "pseudo private charities")/family/friends/neighbors. If all that fails, then I'm (apparently) not smart enough to give a better answer, but I don't see that many "safety nets" failing. YMMV.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke might tell you: "Similar solutions to a similar problem."